6 years ago
HOMELESSNESS RISING DUE TO TURNBULL GOVERNMENT NEGLECT
SENATOR THE HON DOUG CAMERON
The State of Homelessness in the Cities report highlights the failure of the Turnbull Government to tackle the growing rate of homelessness across the nation.
The report shows that supporting people sleeping rough costs the health system around $25,000 per person every six months, and that these costs would be significantly reduced if people were housed and given wraparound support.
It follows the release last month of ABS 2016 Census data which shows the number of homeless Australians has increased by 13.7 percent since the 2011 Census.
On Census night in 2016, 116,427 people were classified as being homeless; up from 102,439 in 2011.
The growing number of people experiencing homelessness is a result of the severe shortage of affordable social and public housing available for low and very low income households. There are nearly 200,000 people on public housing waiting lists.
The Turnbull government has turned its back on this growing problem.
The Turnbull government’s record:
- Cut $44 million a year in capital funding from homelessness services in its first Budget;
- Failed to provide funding certainty under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness;
- De-funded Homelessness Australia, National Shelter and the Community Housing Federation of Australia to prevent them advocating for homeless Australians;
- Abolished the National Housing Supply Council and the Prime Minister’s Council on Homelessness
- Failed to appoint a dedicated Minister for Housing and Homelessness.
- Threatened funding cuts for remote Indigenous housing.
The Turnbull government has no plan to tackle homelessness, nor the housing affordability crisis, which is a major driver of homelessness.
Labor has announced policies that will address rising homelessness and will have more to say before the next election.