Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Scott Morrison announced this week that all Coalition state/territory governments will sign up to the 2015-17 National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) and called for Labor governments to follow their lead.
The Government announced on 23 March 2015 that it would provide $230 million to extend the NPAH for two years to 30 June 2017, with funding priority given to frontline services focusing on women and children experiencing domestic and family violence, and homeless youth aged under 18. This commitment is conditional on state and territory governments matching the Commonwealth's commitment to homelessness funding under the NPAH.
Longer-term funding arrangements and the respective roles of the Commonwealth and state and territory governments in housing and homelessness will be considered in the context of the Government's White Paper on Reform of the Federation.