Homelessness in Australia
Encyclopedia
This article describes homelessness
in Australia
. The majority of long term homeless people are found in the large cities of Sydney
, Melbourne
, Perth
and Brisbane
. It is estimated that on any given night approximately 105,000 people will be homeless.
• damages, or is likely to damage, their health; or
• marginalises them through failing to provide access to:
- adequate personal amenities; or
- the economic and social supports that a home normally affords; or
• places them in circumstances which threaten or adversely affect the adequacy, safety, security, affordability of that housing; or
• has no security of tenure – that is, they have no legal right to continued occupation of their home.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics
breaks the homeless numbers into 3 groups:
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Homeless.
Causes according to the 2001 census
was launched by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
in December 2008. This White Paper
sets an ambitious target to halve homelessness by 2020 and offer supported accommodation to all rough sleepers who need it. 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."
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.
Relationship breakdown and family conflict are often cited as common instigators of youth homelessness.
Youth Homelessness Matters Day
is an annual event run across Australia that highlights youth homelessness and associated issues.
of the mentally ill began in Australia during the 1980s, whereby people with a mental illness live in the general community under the policy of community release. The mentally ill are no longer supervised by health care workers, and are left to their own devices in regard to maintaining their personal medication
regimens.
study of Sydney's homeless found a very high incidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) amongst the homeless.
Housing:
Mental health:
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The majority of long term homeless people are found in the large cities of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. It is estimated that on any given night approximately 105,000 people will be homeless.
- A person is considered not to have safe, secure adequate housing if the only housing they have access to:
• damages, or is likely to damage, their health; or
• marginalises them through failing to provide access to:
- adequate personal amenities; or
- the economic and social supports that a home normally affords; or
• places them in circumstances which threaten or adversely affect the adequacy, safety, security, affordability of that housing; or
• has no security of tenure – that is, they have no legal right to continued occupation of their home.
2006 Census Homelessness Figures
Of 105,000 homeless people in Australia on census night in 2006:- 69% were Male.
- 21% were between the age of 12-18.
- 12% were under the age of 12.
- 23% were staying in boarding houses.
- 45% were staying with friends and relatives.
- 16% were sleeping rough.
- 14% were staying in accommodation provided by the Supported Accommodation Assistance ProgramSupported Accommodation Assistance ProgramThe Supported Accommodation Assistance Program is aimed at reducing homelessness in Australia. SAAP started in 1985 when Commonwealth and State/Territory funding programs were brought together. The object of the new arrangement was to grant financial assistance to the States to administer the SAAP...
(SAAP).
The Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
breaks the homeless numbers into 3 groups:
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Homeless.
- Primary Homeless: People without conventional accommodation, living on the streets
- Secondary Homeless: People staying in boarding houses and people already in SAAP accommodation and other similar emergency accommodation services
- Tertiary Homeless: People with no secure accommodation staying temporarily with friends or relatives in private dwellings
Causes according to the 2001 census
- Domestic and family violence (22%)
- Eviction/previous accommodation ended (11%)
- Relationship/family breakdown (11%)
- Usual accommodation unavailable (11%)
- Financial Difficulty (10%)
The Road Home - Federal Government White Paper
The Road HomeThe Road Home
The Road Home may refer to:* The Road Home , a 1995 album by Heart* The Road Home , a Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou, featuring Zhang Ziyi in her film debut* The Road Home , an American film directed by Drew Johnson...
was launched by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
in December 2008. This White Paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
sets an ambitious target to halve homelessness by 2020 and offer supported accommodation to all rough sleepers who need it. 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."
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.
Youth Homelessness in Australia
According to the 2006 census there were over 44,000 young people homeless, meaning that about 43% of the Australian homeless population are babies, children and youth under the age of 25. A particularly common form of youth homelessness in Australia is “couch surfing” whereby the homeless person relies on the support of friends to sleep on their couch or floor.Relationship breakdown and family conflict are often cited as common instigators of youth homelessness.
Youth Homelessness Matters Day
Youth Homelessness Matters Day
Youth Homelessness Matters Day is an annual day which seeks to highlight the issue of youth homelessness in Australia.YHM Day is conducted by the National Youth Coalition for Housing :http://www.nationalyouthcoalitionforhousing.org.au/- Theme in 2010 :...
is an annual event run across Australia that highlights youth homelessness and associated issues.
Deinstitutionalisation
Some of the current homeless population in Australia were previously mentally institutionalised. Mass deinstitutionalisationDeinstitutionalisation
Deinstitutionalization or deinstitutionalization is the process of replacing long-stay psychiatric hospitals with less isolated community mental health service for those diagnosed with a mental disorder or developmental disability. Deinstitutionalization can have multiple definitions; the first...
of the mentally ill began in Australia during the 1980s, whereby people with a mental illness live in the general community under the policy of community release. The mentally ill are no longer supervised by health care workers, and are left to their own devices in regard to maintaining their personal medication
Medication
A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...
regimens.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Homelessness
A 2006 University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
study of Sydney's homeless found a very high incidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) amongst the homeless.
See also
- HomeGround ServicesHomeGround ServicesHomeGround Services is a homelessness, housing and support agency working to end homelessness in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is part of the Australian Common Ground Alliance, which is affiliated with Common Ground...
- Poverty in AustraliaPoverty in AustraliaPoverty in Australia is a contentious political issue. There is little doubt there is absolute poverty in Australia especially in Aboriginal communities....
Housing:
- Home ownership in AustraliaHome ownership in AustraliaHome ownership is a key cultural icon in Australia. Australians have traditionally aspired to the modest Great Australian Dream of "owning a detached house on a fenced block of land." Home-ownership has been seen as creating a responsible citizenry; according to a former Premier of Victoria, "The...
- Public housing in AustraliaPublic housing in AustraliaPublic housing in Australia is usually provided by departments of state and territory governments. Australian public housing operates within the framework of the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement, by which funding for public housing is provided by both federal and state governments...
Mental health:
- DeinstitutionalisationDeinstitutionalisationDeinstitutionalization or deinstitutionalization is the process of replacing long-stay psychiatric hospitals with less isolated community mental health service for those diagnosed with a mental disorder or developmental disability. Deinstitutionalization can have multiple definitions; the first...
- Post traumatic stress disorder
- Psychological traumaPsychological traumaPsychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...