CANBERRA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday announced an extra 10 million Australian dollars(9 million U.S. dollars) to help mentally ill people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless.
Rudd said the announcement is part of the government's practical measures to halve homelessness by 2020.
"In total, 36 additional personal mentors will be on the ground by mid-2010 to provide intensive assistance to homeless Australians with a severe mental illness," he said.
"This program is designed to help people with a severe mental illness reconnect with the wider community and to live more independent and satisfying lives."
Rudd has again called on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to support the 2020 target.
"This is really important stuff, it's about our decency as a community, our decency as a nation. For me this is core business, it is really important and I'd urge Mr Abbott to come onside," he said.
