Ms Rinehart confirmed Hancock Prospecting’s funding will go directly to acquiring suitable accommodation to help more than 6000 homeless veterans to get a roof over their head.
Veterans are three times more likely to be homeless than the average Australian.
Suitable buildings across Australia are currently being assessed for acquisition and conversion into quality residential accommodation for Australian veterans, with a focus on locations that enable access to employment, transportation, services and support.
Existing buildings such as hotels, motels, apartment blocks are being prioritised, as they can be rapidly repurposed without the years of approvals and delays associated with new construction, enabling ready-to-use accommodation to be delivered to veterans as quickly as possible, recognising the urgency of the need.
MORE: Australia’s billionaire mining magnates’ property empires Mrs Rinehart AO said she was “shocked to learn recently that more than 6000 veterans are homeless.
This is unacceptable.
I hope that others will also actively and generously help to lessen this tragedy”.
“The housing crisis, a crisis made critical by government approvals and permits delaying new housing and the ability to extend houses, high government taxes adding to costs, and record high immigration causing hosting shortages, has affected many Australians,” Ms Rinehart said “But maybe not enough are aware that more than 6000 of our veterans are now sleeping in the streets.
“Clearly, our contribution alone will not help enough homeless veterans, leaving around 6000 veterans still homeless.
A different approach to the veterans housing crisis is badly needed, a crisis also effecting many other Aussies too.” Ms Rinehart called on the government to immediately open the doors of military barracks currently unused or hardly used such as Leeuwin and Irwin in West Australia, to homeless veterans.
She also called for an end to the duplication of government departments across state and federal levels and said “empty offices could help to house rent free homeless vets, with more rooms available for those suffering from violence or abuse and needing safe places, or struggling Aussie pensioners”.
“Yes more curtains, crockery, cutlery, bedding, bathrooms, and some kitchens would need to be included, the reduction in the salaries of thousands of federal bureaucrats, could be put to good use, plus renting out spare offices if possible, could also bring income.
Many businesses would benefit, supplying the foregoing.” Ms Rinehart has been a log-time supporter of veterans through Soldier On, the SAS Resources Fund, Commando Welfare Trust, Legacy and the RSL.
She has already provided emergency veteran accommodation in her home state of West....
