TURNBULL GOVERNMENT FAILS TO ADDRESS YOUTH HOMELESSNESS

Today’s release of Mission Australia’s 2017 Youth Survey results is a reminder of the Turnbull Government’s failure to address housing affordability and homelessness for young people. 

 

According to the report, nearly 1 in 6 young people surveyed have experienced a type of homelessness. This includes time with no fixed address, living in a refuge or transitional accommodation, and time spent couch surfing.

 

Homelessness has significant flow-on effects, particularly for young people, who experience higher incidence of self-injury and attempted suicide, a greater likelihood of leaving school early, and significantly higher unemployment rates than their peers.

 

Successive Liberal governments have comprehensively failed young people on housing. Instead of addressing homelessness they are seeking to give the big banks a $17 billion handout. 

 

Labor has a plan to make housing more affordable and address homelessness, including boosting support for vulnerable Australians.

 

A Shorten Labor Government will provide $88 million over two years for a new Safe Housing Fund to increase transitional housing options for women and children escaping domestic and family violence and young people exiting out-of-home care.

 

The Turnbull Government needs to stop waging war on young people. Young Australians are sick of this arrogant and out of touch Prime Minister and they deserve more.