Our next guests on air are friends of the show Georgie Purcell and Josh Burns. Georgie has recently been in the press for helping the hamlet of Elphinstone end plans to start a puppy farm in the area. An application for a proposed dog breeding facility in Elphinstone in Central Victoria has been withdrawn following lobbying from residents and animal activists. The puppy farm had planned to operate 24 hours a day and house up to 150 dogs including corgis, golden retrievers and Cavalier King Charles spaniels. The application for the facility, lodged with Mount Alexander Shire Council in April, stated it “mandates scheduled caesarean sections at specialised veterinary clinics”. Animal Justice MP and Member for Northern Victoria Georgie Purcell said it would have been an “extraordinary” first. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-04/breeder-withdraws-plan-for-controversial-puppy-farm/106753744 Youth Housing Josh was on air today to discuss the Federal Government’s Youth Housing crisis campaign. This budget will deliver nearly $60 million over four years to directly address the youth housing penalty, providing thousands of young Australians access secure housing, helping to reduce youth homelessness. The Federal Government will invest $59.4 million over four years from 2026-27 for community housing providers (CHPs) to help house young people at risk of housing insecurity and homelessness. The new Youth Housing Supplement will provide funding to community housing providers (CHPs) that house eligible young people receiving Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY. Funding will help offset the lower rental income associated with housing young people on lower-rate income support payments, making it easier for providers to offer homes to vulnerable young Australians. The measure is expected to support: 2,325 young people from 1 January 2027 2,500 young people in 2027-28 4,000 young people in 2028-29 4,355 young people in 2029-30 Funding profile ($m) 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 2029-30 Total 6.0 12.0 19.2 22.3 59.4 Why does this matter? Young people are now among the groups most at risk of homelessness in Australia, with 19 to 24-year-olds experiencing the highest homelessness rate of any age cohort. At the same time, many young people face a structural barrier accessing community housing. Most community housing providers charge income-based rents, typically around 25 per cent of a tenant’s income plus Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA. Because Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY are significantly lower than payments such as JobSeeker, the Disability Support Pension and the Age Pension, providers receive substantially less rental income from housing young people. In some cases, providers receive up to 54 per cent less rental revenue from a young tenant compared with an older tenant on the Age Pension or Disability Support Pension. Sector organisations have argued this creates a “youth housing penalty” where young people can unintentionally become harder to house within the current funding model, despite often having high levels of vulnerability and support needs. Young people are now among the groups most at risk of homelessness in Australia: Nearly 40 per cent of people presenting alone to homelessness services are under 25. Thousands of young people are turned away from homelessness services each year because support is full. Many cycle between couch surfing, crisis accommodation, unsafe housing and rough sleeping. Housing and homelessness organisations have argued for years that the current system creates a structural disincentive to house young people. The Youth Housing Supplement directly responds to this issue by helping providers absorb the revenue gap and create more pathways into stable housing. The Home Time campaign, the measure responds to extensive advocacy from the Home Time campaign, a national alliance supported by more than 170 housing, homelessness and social welfare organisations across Australia. Home Time has campaigned for reforms that recognise the unique drivers of youth homelessness and create long-term housing pathways for young people, rather than relying solely on crisis accommodation and emergency responses. The proposal also responds to recommendations from the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee, which identified a youth housing supplement as a targeted way to reduce youth homelessness. Atlas spent a decade moving in and out of homelessness as a young person. During that time, he saw many other young people fall through the cracks, including peers who lost their lives while homeless. He says stable housing can fundamentally change the trajectory of a young person’s life. “This Youth Housing Supplement is an incredible investment from the federal government into on the ground action that will make it easier for young people to get out of homelessness and find safety.” “I was in and out of homelessness for 10 years, and in those years, I saw too many people lose their lives. Kids who died on the streets, kids who never truly had a chance to find anything else. Investments like this one will save lives.” Atlas says the measure gives hope to young people who have become accustomed to falling through the cracks. “I can’t fully articulate what this supplement means for the young people who are currently experiencing homelessness.” “This subsidy is just the first step of many in the changes we need to make to create a truly equitable system but for the first time in a long time there is hope.” “Helping more people into homes is a big focus of this Budget.” “Right now, it’s too hard for too many Australians to get into their own home and get ahead and that’s why we’re building more homes, fast-tracking approvals, and helping thousands of young people to pay the rent.” Treasurer Jim Chalmers “When a young person has a safe place to live, everything else becomes more possible – education, health, and stable employment.” “This investment is about unlocking safe and secure housing for vulnerable young Australians so they have the solid foundation they need to build strong, secure and independent lives.” Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek “The fact that young Australians are now among the groups most at risk of homelessness should stop us in our tracks, and that’s why this government is acting.” “Getting a roof over your head can change the course of a young person’s life, bringing stability, safety and the chance to build a future.” =Minister for Housing Clare O’Neil The post Sat, 6th June, 2026: Georgie Purcell, Animal Justice Party: Puppy Farms & Josh Burns, ALP, Macnamara; Youth Homelessness Campaign. appeared first on Saturday Magazine.
