Mr REPACHOLI (Hunter) (10:58):

This year, students in my electorate of Hunter took part in the Raise our Voice campaign.  Today I also want to read a speech from 13-year-old Hayden:

I'd like to discuss a major issue within Australia, and that is homelessness.

My concern for this group started when I was just 9 years old, and on a school excursion to Sydney.

At night, every 100 steps and under every bridge there would be a group of homeless people struggling to stay warm with what little they had.

I felt a strong sense of sympathy in that moment, and I strongly believe parliament should feel the same.

The homelessness rate in Australia right now is 0.47%, which is currently around 120,000 people.

But if we don't act now, the homelessness rate can and will increase more than ever before.

Especially now with the cost of living crisis that we are currently going through.

Is that really what we want people to see when they enter OUR country and go to see our biggest cities?

Groups of homeless people at every turn, all because we did nothing about it when we had the chance to?

It's certainly not what I want, and I'm sure you don't either.

Thank you, Hayden. This is certainly a big issue and something that we all want to see fixed.