2016-01-29
The Australian Greens have welcomed Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's interest in addressing the homelessness crisis, after he launched a new website to help homeless people locate and access services that have been cut by the Liberal government.
"Ask Izzy is an excellent initiative, it's something that support services and homeless people themselves have been asking for, for years. But it is of little use without the very services it is directing people to being adequately funded," Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Housing Spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said.
"Since they've been in government the Liberals have cut more than $500 million from homelessness support services. A key recommendation from the Housing Affordability Inquiry was that the Australian Government reverse the cuts to the capital program in the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH)," Senator Ludlam said.
"Mr Turnbull never misses a chance to drop his favourite buzzwords, but if he genuinely wants Ask Izzy to succeed, he'll restore the funding to the services Ask Izzy directs its users to.
Cuts worth $590m to housing and homelessness cuts under the Abbott-Turnbull government - click here.