Homelessness in Australia

It has been estimated that a single homeless person costs the government $30,000 per year.[9]

The Road Home[10] was launched by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in December 2008.[11] This White Paper sets an ambitious target to halve homelessness by 2020 and offer supported accommodation to all rough sleepers who need it.[12] Launching the White Paper, Kevin Rudd said, referring to the 105,000 homeless people in Australia "A country like this should not have this problem, so large and longstanding, without being addressed, It's time we had a decent solution to this problem that has been around for a long time."[13]

The Road Home focuses future effort and investment into three strategies:

1. Turning Off the Tap: Early intervention services to prevent homelessness.
2. Improving and expanding services which aim to end homelessness: Ensuring that Services are more connected, integrated and responsive to achieve sustainable housing, improve social and economic participation and end homelessness for their clients.
3. Breaking the Cycle: Ensuring that people who become homeless are able to quickly move through the crisis system into stable housing with the support they need so that homelessness does not recur.

The Road Home was not implemented following the ousting of the Rudd Government. In 2019, before the launch of the documentary Life After The Oasis the National Youth Commission published the Report Card which shows only a start to the work required to reduce youth homelessness in Australia.

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG)'s National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) subject to provisions of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations, defines and measures housing and homelessness services for the Commonwealth and the States and Territories.[14] In 2008 Rudd announced that NAHA would "deliver more longer-term housing for Australians who are homeless, more public and community housing and build and renew run down and overcrowded housing for Indigenous Australians living in remote areas."[10] NAHA's manadate includes a) social housing; assistance to people in the private rental market; support and accommodation for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness; and home purchase assistance; b) (b) working towards improving coordination across housing related programs to make better use of existing stock and under-utilised Government assets and achieve better integration between housing and human services, including health and disability services; and c) reducing the rate of homelessness."[14]

Since 2008, the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) was formed to allow the Commonwealth Government to provide matching funding to hundreds of homelessness services.[15] In response to the federal funding, states and territories typically match the Commonwealth’s contribution. The total annual NPAH funding is around $250 million per year which is directed to around 800 homelessness services around Australia.[16]

In 2016, homelessness services across Australia began a #SaveNPAH campaign to ensure the Australian Government renews the funding package past 2017. The services stated that without the funding, services would be forced to cut back on essential programs and thousands of Australians would become homeless.[17][18][19] The #SaveNPAH campaign succeeded in part, with the Australian government committing to a one year extension of funding.[20][21]

In South Australia, the State Government of Premier Mike Rann (2002 to 2011) committed substantial funding to a series of initiatives designed to combat homelessness. Advised by Social Inclusion Commissioner David Cappo and the founder of New York's Common Ground program, Rosanne Haggerty , the Rann Government established Common Ground Adelaide [22] building high quality inner city apartments (combined with intensive support) for "rough sleeping" homeless people. The government also funded the Street to Home program and a hospital liaison service designed to assist homeless people who are admitted to the Emergency Departments of Adelaide's major public hospitals. Rather than being released back into homelessness, patients identified as rough sleepers are found accommodation backed by professional support. Common Ground and Street to Home now operate across Australia in other States.

Ask Izzy is a mobile website which connects people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. They provide essential services such as meals, housing, support and counseling. The website was developed by Infoxchange in partnership with Google, REA Group and News Corp.[23][24]

Youth refuges started appearing in Australia in the 1970s as a community based response to youth homelessness.[29]

• New South Wales – In 1979 eighteen youth refuges in Canberra , including Caretakers Cottage, Taldumande Youth Services, Young People's Refuge among others, founded a peak body organisation to represent themselves to government. The peak body was named the Youth Refuge Action Group (YRAG) (later the name was changed several times over the years, including YRA, YRAA, YAA, and presently, Yfoundations).[30][31]

A 2006 University of Sydney study of Sydney's homeless found a very high incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) amongst the homeless.[32][33][34][35]

The Centre for Social Impact's research sits on the bedrock of leading universities. They develop and bring together knowledge to understand current social challenges and opportunities to create a better world. Working ethically and with rigour, across disciplines and by ensuring people, community and organisations are central. The focus over the next five years will be on reducing social inequality and understanding and addressing key complex social problems.[36]