Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This week is National Homelessness Week. Today, I'd like to pay my respects to those in the Northern Territory who, day in and day out, try to find solutions and give hope to those experiencing homelessness. On any given day in the NT, frontline homelessness services help about 2,600 people who are experiencing homelessness and about 100 seniors who are in hospital because there's nowhere else for them to go.

Those working in frontline specialist homelessness services are exposed on a daily basis to some of the most traumatic and heartbreaking experiences, like domestic violence, abuse, children sleeping on the streets, suicide, chronic illness and people who have given up all hope. Trauma has a lasting effect on essential frontline staff, and those working in the homelessness sector are no different. Those working with people and families experiencing homelessness are essential workers who are standing alongside police and nurses to serve the people of the Northern Territory.

Today I acknowledge their hard work and their commitment, and I acknowledge their trauma. That trauma is also experienced by the families of these workers. It's that intergenerational and within-family trauma that cannot be shared—it's difficult for those families. I really thank them for the work that they do. We must acknowledge those working on the front line.