One Nation Victoria leader Warren Pickering has said homelessness in Victoria is a national disgrace, with a broken rental market forcing people onto the streets while promises of more social and crisis housing in the state had delivered only a fraction of what was needed. “We’re left with little choice but to put more resources into helping Victorians facing homelessness,” Mr Pickering said. “Around 35% of renters are in rental stress, more than 30,000 people are homeless in our state, and more than a thousand sleep rough on a given night. “We are seeing rough sleepers everywhere, from country towns to the Melbourne CBD, because there’s nowhere else for them to go. That changes under a One Nation government.” Mr Pickering said One Nation would create sufficient crisis, transitional and temporary places so no-one is forced to sleep rough. Dedicated beds will be provided in every region, including for women and children escaping family violence. The By-Name List will be resourced statewide and funded to connect every person to a genuine offer of housing and support. He said One Nation would run a statewide trial providing land tax exemptions for willing landlords who lease dwellings – including short-stay properties – to the state or community housing providers for 12 month tenancies. “This creates immediate housing stock for only about a third the cost of motel accommodation that’s currently being used,” he said. “We’ll also trial incentives such as wage subsidies or payroll tax offsets for employers hiring someone on the By-Name List, and we’ll create dedicated entry-level state government jobs for people exiting homelessness. “Squatting or camping in the Melbourne CBD and other high-visibility public areas will not be an option. We aim to provide enough beds so it doesn’t need to be. We will enforce clear rules and move-on powers consistently – but only after outreach workers have offered a place. The days of seeing tents lining the streets of our cities, towns and foreshores will be over because everyone will have somewhere safe to sleep.”