The Minister
for Housing and Homelessness, Brendan O’Connor, met today with representatives
from the Homeless Persons’ Legal Service (HPLS) to discuss the Federal
Government’s draft Homelessness Bill.
The discussions were ‘robust and constructive’, said HPLS
policy officer, Lou Schetzer.
Also at the meeting were representatives of the Public
Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), the homelessness advisory group Street Care,
law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth, and Newtown Mission.
PIAC chief executive officer, Edward Santow, briefed the
Minister about the HPLS free legal clinics and HPLS advocacy work.
He said the meeting was one way in which partnerships
between non-government organisations, the corporate sector, and people with
first-hand experience of homeless can help governments come to a better
understanding of the issues involved in homelessness.
‘PIAC and HPLS will continue to advocate for a rights-based
approach to addressing homelessness’, Mr Santow said.
Photo: Housing Minister Brendan O’Connor (left) with PIAC’s Edward Santow.
View the draft Homelessness Bill.