The ACT is outperforming the national average in its access to public and community housing according to a new report from the Australian Productivity Commission.
Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, Yvette Berry said the Commission’s 2021 Report on Government Services, showed the Territory leading the nation in funding for social housing and was the first to fully transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
“Public housing is a vehicle for better lives, social inclusion, participation and stronger communities,” Ms Berry said.
“Having the right mix of social infrastructure means that we are better equipped to provide people with housing that suits their needs, now and into the future,” she said.
Ms Berry said that last financial year 4,143 people in the ACT who were homeless or at risk of homelessness received specialist support services such as case management, assistance with access to education and employment and financial counselling.
“The report shows that after support, 32.2 per cent of all clients aged 15 years and over were employed or in education (compared with 21.1 per cent nationally) and 23.4 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients were employed or in education (compared with 14.2 per cent nationally),” she said.
She said that during the reporting period, the Territory had the lowest proportion of young people in Australia returning to sentenced youth supervision within 12 months of release, at 39.3 per cent compared with 58.7 per cent nationally.
Ms Berry said the Report also found the ACT had the lowest number of permanent aged care residents aged under 65 and the second lowest number of people with disability entering permanent aged care.
The Productivity Commissions’ findings on housing and homelessness can be accessed at this PS News link.
