Kurri Kurri Preschool does a fantastic job delivering quality play-based early education. What struck me most during my visit, apart from the memories flooding back, is the dedication and skill of the educators to ensure children are listened to and heard.

When redesigning the play area, it was the children who came up with the idea to make a seesaw from a spool and plank of wood.

Last week was also National Homelessness Week and I visited a local homelessness service provider.

Many people in our community might be surprised at the level of homelessness and insecure housing we have.

In the Paterson electorate there are more than 300 people experiencing homelessness and we need 3500 more social homes.

We may see these numbers increasing soon, as the economic crisis affects those who once thought they were immune.

Unemployment is expected to rise in the coming months, and coupled with a withdrawal of Government support, more people may find it hard to pay their rent and mortgage.

The coronavirus pandemic has made it clear just how important safe and affordable housing is. We have all been told to stay home to keep safe. But there are two problems with that.

The first is that you can't stay home if you don't have one.

The second problem is that a major contributing factor for homelessness in our community is domestic violence. That makes it unsafe to stay home.

Labor has been calling on Scott Morrison for months to take action on housing.

The Federal Government needs to work with the NSW Government and the private sector to properly fund new building construction for social housing and repair rundown facilities.

This would be a win-win. It would provide work for tradies and put a roof over the head of Australians who desperately need it.

The Morrison Government also needs to create more affordable housing.

The government could achieve this by expanding support for first home buyers to enter the market.

Or they could build more affordable housing for frontline workers to be closer to their place of work.

I was perplexed to read Senator Hollie Hughes claiming in her op-ed in the Advertiser last week that the Morrison Government is "already contributing $1.6 billion" for the M1 extension from Black Hill to Raymond Terrace.

The fact is the Morrison Government has only made available four percent of the funding in the next five years. We also know this project is still not listed as a high priority with Infrastructure Australia.

I have been advocating for the M1 extension since I was elected in 2016 because I know the enormous benefits it will bring to our community by creating jobs and easing congestion.

This is something I don't expect the Senator from Sydney really understands.