NSW: Jobs key to preventing homelessness, Turnbull says

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2008
NSW: Jobs key to preventing homelessness, Turnbull says

SYDNEY, Dec 21 AAP - Keeping Australians in work is the best defence against homelessness,
federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd launched a white paper on homelessness on Sunday, with a
pledge of $1.2 billion over four years to build new housing and increase prevention services.

Mr Turnbull said the causes of homelessness were complex, but an avoidable one was unemployment.

He said many Australians were facing a tough year and it was vital employment remained high.

"What we don't want to see is people losing their homes because they are losing their
jobs," he told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

"A secure job, a secure income, is the best proof against homelessness."

Mr Turnbull said every focus of the federal government had to be directed towards the
economy, which would also be the coalition's focus.

"We think this is clearly a growing challenge in Australia and it's one that we're
all committed to providing more resources to and more effective solutions," he said.

"Everything we are focused on, every policy we will be preparing, every criticism we
will be making will be directed towards ensuring our economy remains strong and Australians
remain in work."

Mr Turnbull said the measures had all been announced at the Council of Australian Governments
(COAG) meeting some weeks ago, with bipartisan support from the coalition.

"These are all measures without exception that were announced earlier in the year,
there's no new announcement, no new money," he said.

"We supported it when it was announced and we support it again today."

AAP kd/jpm/jlw

KEYWORD: HOMELESS TURNBULL

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