Homelessness Australia has welcomed Commonwealth funding of $3.4 million over three years for the national homelessness peak body, saying it provides much-needed capacity at a time of unprecedented demand for homelessness services.
Kate Colvin, CEO of Homelessness Australia, said the funding helps ensure there is a strong national voice on homelessness and the experiences of people doing it toughest and the services that support them are not overlooked.
"This funding gives us the capacity to deliver research and insights from the front line to inform government policy and build a homelessness impact evidence base to support frontline services under record pressure," Ms Colvin said.
The funding follows several years of national housing and homelessness organisations operating at minimal capacity after funding cuts under the previous government made it difficult to maintain core national work.
"For a long time, homelessness services have been stretched to breaking point, asked to do more with less while demand has continued to rise," Ms Colvin said.
"Rebuilding national capacity to represent these challenges and inform public debate matters if governments are serious about stopping homelessness before it happens, rather than simply picking up the pieces after the fact."
