Calls to halve homelessness by 2025

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On any given night over 100,000 Australians are homeless, including over 44,000 children or young people. Each year more than 200,000 people seek help from homelessness services – and these numbers are growing.

UnitingCare Australia has joined with other community service organisations – Anglicare, Mission Australia, The Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul and Wesley Mission – urging the major political parties to make reducing homelessness a national priority.

In a joint letter sent to Malcolm Turnbull, Bill Shorten, Richard Di Natale and Barnaby Joyce, these organisations called for a commitment to halve homelessness by 2025.

“Access to stable and safe housing underpins well-functioning families and communities. Australia has the resources to ensure that everyone experiences belonging in a safe and supportive community, with appropriate, affordable housing,” says Martin J Cowling, the Associate National Director of UnitingCare Australia.

In their letter, the organisations urge each party to commit to expanding prevention and early intervention services, including strategies aimed at assisting people with identified risk factors.

“Various groups in our community are more vulnerable to homelessness. Many experience barriers to housing that are related to their personal situation, such as domestic violence or mental health issues,” says Martin.

“Whilst solutions may require increased expenditure in the short term, action now will enable
governments to avoid the high costs of dealing with the wider effects of homelessness once it occurs.

“Successfully addressing this issue will require collaboration between different levels of government, and with private and not-for-profit organisations.”

UnitingCare Australia is calling on Uniting Church members to sign an online petition in the lead up to the Federal Election, hoping to generate public support for the goal of halving homelessness in Australia by 2025. You can sign the petition here.


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Comments

Comments (3)

  1. Nicholas Rundle 26 may 2016, 15:26 Link
    Having worked in the sector for nearly ten years and currently as a volunteer in a front line homelessness service teaching meditation I support this initiative.

    However the picture above — while powerful can easily strengthen the belief that homelessness is all about rough sleepers who we imagine are older men.

    Many in our community experience housing stress in terms of not having enough money after rent or mortgage to pay for essentials. Many are younger people couch surfing or in unsafe living conditions.

    I hope we will reflect together on what it means to be 'at home' in safe places of welcome, hospitality, engagement with life and social inclusion and opportunities for learning. when media focuses on the perfect home which is about material possessions I trust we will remember the prophet's call of everyone 'underneath their vine and fig tree' and ask, 'what can we do'?

    always in the living Christ

    Nicholas+