NLEC thanks contributors after federal social housing hearing

An extraordinary response from the community

The rapid mobilisation of people willing to contribute experience, knowledge and practical support was extraordinary. Contributors and advocates responded, community organisations shared the opportunity, referral organisations helped make connections, and volunteers gave their time to support the process.

That willingness matters. Preparing to contribute to a parliamentary process takes time, trust and care. Sharing lived experience may also involve revisiting difficult circumstances. We do not take that contribution lightly.

We also recognise the people who offered help but could not participate. An offer of support is valued even when timing, access, personal circumstances or other commitments make participation impossible. No explanation is owed, and there is no obligation to take part in a future opportunity.

What Submission 16 recommends

NLEC's submission argues for more social housing and stronger accountability for what happens between systems. Its proposals include:

National Housing Stability and No Loss Standard

Require a real, affordable, accessible alternative and the supports needed to sustain it before redevelopment, transfer, institutional discharge or withdrawal of support leaves someone homeless or materially worse housed.

Verified service connections

Measure whether a receiving service has accepted a connection, made contact and confirmed a workable pathway—not referrals alone. Where services have no capacity, record and escalate a system-capacity failure rather than blaming the person.

Lived-experience decision rights

Establish permanent, independent and fairly remunerated tenant and lived-experience governance, with published decision rights across design, procurement, allocation, redevelopment, maintenance and evaluation, and traceable government responses.

Cross-system accountability

Assess housing outcomes alongside disability support, health, family safety, justice, education, employment and crisis-service use. Make failed handovers and cost-shifting visible, with identifiable responsibility for the next workable step.

Targets and independent impact reporting

Set a national target of at least 5 per cent of dwelling stock as social housing by 2036, backed by annual milestones and regular review. Publish delivery and verified-connection measures and annual independent impact reports, with methods and agency responses.

These are NLEC's recommendations, not adopted government commitments or reported hearing outcomes. The formal submission provides the full scope, qualifications and supporting sources.

From experience to reform

NLEC helps decision-makers see what individual systems cannot see on their own. Housing and homelessness can intersect with disability, health, family violence, justice, income support and other systems. Understanding those connections requires attention to what people experience between services and across institutional boundaries.

Experience → Evidence → Intelligence → Reform

Experience

Listen to what people know from navigating connected systems, with care for their choices and boundaries.

Evidence

Develop and contextualise accounts alongside other sources, making limits and uncertainty clear.

Intelligence

Interpret patterns, interfaces and gaps in responsibility to inform public decisions.

Reform

Translate that understanding into structural reform advice and questions of public accountability.

Participation does not establish a representative sample or agreement on every issue. NLEC's analysis and positions remain its own; contributors are not presumed to endorse them. Taking part in a hearing does not itself establish a finding, policy change or parliamentary endorsement.