I recently returned from a trip to Europe for a family celebration. During my travels I was constantly reminded that homelessness is not confined to Australia. It was sobering to observe that for many townsfolk in ancient towns, things haven’t changed all that much since Frédéric’s time.

With the Albanese Government’s return following the Federal Election, the Society will continue our advocacy for a comprehensive national plan that addresses 30-plus years of neglect in the community and social housing space.

Reflecting on the past three years, it was frustrating for the Society, and for housing peak bodies, to see ‘big picture’ initiatives sit for months in the Senate because agreement could not be found to endorse proposals designed to start new builds, along with getting a committed approach to address housing shortages across the country.

Today, progress towards implementing a nationally led housing plan is under way, and housing shortages and the impact on rising homelessness is now squarely back on the nation’s agenda. The Society will be working with the coalition of housing and homelessness advocacy groups to continue to encourage Parliament to pursue practical solutions to the chronic housing shortages that have such deleterious impacts on families and individuals.

We know that to be successful a multipronged approach is essential and it needs to comprehensively tackle related challenges such as labour supply, planning red tape and NIMBYism. We want to see more community housing built around established communities; and we support social housing offerings being part of a housing option mosaic in local communities, rather than all builds being pushed to greenfield sites on the outer fringe. These approaches deliver confidence to future residents who presently need any form of assistance and those who will seek support as they age in place.

Our plea to all politicians is to get on with a proactive finding of common ground so we as a nation can advance our community good in ways that are inclusive of the growing number of folk who are being left behind.

Fundamental to achieving our common good is our acceptance that those who have less do require more than those who are doing well. Adopting this preferential option is nowhere more relevant than in our combined efforts to close the gap that exists between most Australians and First Nations People.

The Society is seeking advice from the Government on its proposed implementation plan to address the recommendations outlined in the Not-for profit Sector Development Blueprint.

The Blueprint was prepared after a sector-wide consultation over two years. The sector has the clear expectation that its voice, and the areas it identified as requiring attention in order to strengthen the sector’s future, will be heard.

While it is not yet clear to the sector where responsibility to respond to the Blueprint lies in the second Albanese Government, it is looking to the nation’s leaders to articulate how the sector will be supported in the days and years ahead. R