AUGUST 5 to11 is Homelessness Week, a time to make louder our plea to our leaders to join us in taking urgent action to end homelessness.
The theme, ‘Homelessness Action Now’, is a call to action – every Australian deserves a safe, secure home.
It is outrageous that, as wealthy as Australia is, we collectively allow the glaring inequalities in housing access to continue.
Mission Australia’s new youth homelessness report revealed nearly one in ten Youth Survey 2023 participants experienced homelessness in the previous year.
More than 220,000 households are waiting for social housing and some will never get access to a stable home.
The ripple effects of homelessness are profound, especially for children and young people, having a devastating impact on their lives in adulthood.
Homelessness is usually a result of poverty, housing unaffordability and inadequate support systems.
This is why Mission Australia advocates for systemic reforms aimed at tackling the root causes of homelessness.
A $500 million Homelessness Prevention Transformation Fund will help people avoid homelessness in the first place.
Substantial increases to income support and rental assistance are needed so people can afford to stay safely housed and afford life’s essentials.
It’s time for action, to create a future where homelessness is a thing of the past in Australia.
Sue Budalich, Mission Australia state director WA/NT/SA
