Press conference with Minister Butler, Adelaide – 7 August 2026

MARK BUTLER, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGEING, MINISTER FOR DISABILITY AND THE NDIS: It's such a privilege to be here at Walk A Mile In My Boots at the annual Hutt St Centre fundraising event. It's been running for almost two decades and it's not only an opportunity for people to put some money into a worthy cause, it's also an opportunity for us, again, to have a conversation about the scourge of homelessness in Australia. I'm delighted to be here as the Health Minister as well as a proud South Australian because we run a program I started in 2023 that gives homeless people in Australia who are accessing a safe, trusted place at Hutt St also access to good medical care. Thousands of nurse visits, hundreds of doctor visits, that give homeless South Australians access to the sort of medical, nursing care that the rest of us take for granted.
 
JOURNALIST: Is the government doing enough, though? There are still so many people sleeping rough.
 
BUTLER: There are right across the country, and Hutt St Centre and this event frankly reminds us all about the need to do more here. All governments are putting their shoulder to the wheel to give people the opportunity to get into a safe place, get into a home of their own. If they are on the streets, to get services that they need to keep themselves healthy and safe. Obviously we have to do more.
 
JOURNALIST: Hutt St can barely cope though. They said they have a surge in people needing their service.
 
BUTLER: I’ve been going to Hutt St from time to time for many years. I was there a couple of months ago and spoke to a couple of people there who were in those circumstances. We know it's really tough out there with the cost of living and the price of housing, that’s why we're doing so much to expand access to affordable housing. In the meantime, there are still tens of thousands of Australians living on the streets or living in insecure housing. Thank god for organisations like Hutt St. They do such terrific work, supporting here in Australia, many thousands of those.
 
JOURNALIST: Just on another topic, topics of the day, are you confident of getting your gambling reform through even if the Coalition and the Greens both want it a little stronger?
 
BUTLER: We've heard again over the last couple of days that the Coalition hasn't yet put together any amendments that they'd like to put to us. There have been constructive discussions between Minister Anika Wells and her shadow, as there have been between government and the Greens as well. The opposition has indicated they want to see the report of the Senate inquiry before they finalise a position. I imagine over the next couple of weeks there will continue to be constructive discussions.
 
JOURNALIST: What's your reaction to Pauline Hanson appearing to live the high life in a five-star hotel in London when she says she's a politician for the battlers?
 
BUTLER: This is really a matter for Ms Hanson and One Nation to explain to her donors. It would appear there's some speculation that she's used funds that have been raised for campaigning for the extensive overseas travel that she conducted over the course of the winter break, but that's ultimately a matter for One Nation to explain to their donors.
 
People donate to political parties for campaigns rather than overseas trips, I think, but that's a matter for One Nation to explain to the people who've donated hard-earned cash to her.
 
JOURNALIST: Thank you.