Recent reports are stating over 122,000 people are experiencing homelessness in Australia with any given night. To make this number read more poorly, one in seven of this figure are children under 12 years of age.
Homeless Australia states Homelessness is not “rooflessness”. They declare “The majority of homelessness is hidden – people in crisis accommodation, rooming houses, insecure housing,
overcrowded dwellings or couch surfing.”
The peak body’s recent submission to the National Housing and Homelessness Plan notes that one in ten Australians will experience homelessness in their lifetime and First Nations people confront a homelessness rate almost ten times that of other Australians.
“Homelessness is a growing national crisis, the harsh brunt of which is felt by First Nations people, women, children, and those exposed to climate change,” Kate Colvin, CEO of Homelessness Australia, said. “The structural failures and policy gaps, especially in housing affordability and support for vulnerable people, are pushing more people into a strained system.”
The Homelessness Australia submission notes that in recent years regional areas have seen a sharp increase in homelessness, outpacing rates in capital cities.
The Queensland Government states “a staggering 20,000 people in Queensland are experiencing homelessness – this is one in every 200 Queenslanders” that is declared by the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics survey.
That statistic is generally higher in the Hervey Bay with almost 2,000 people recognised as homeless in the city. In particular, the youth is at crisis point where 23% of all people experiencing homelessness were aged from 12 to 24 years.
The reasoning for homelessness is as complex as finding the solution. Daily challenges that face economic and social hardships are both understandable in some instances but still difficult to realise we live in a beautiful city that cannot accommodate everyone.
The simple assumption is there is not enough support services and resourcing, yet Hervey Bay provides quality and credible connections that aim to support those in desperate needs for a home environment that many take for granted.
A recent report by the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre ‘Strategic Housing Issues Paper’, identifies the “region is experiencing a surge in homelessness” that is being impacted by a lack of affordable housing. The report refers to rent hikes experienced recently, anywhere from 22% to as high as 54% jump in jumps with rent.
The report refers to the many “responses to homelessness” that Our Community Voice will highlight with some of the positive programs and organisations in place.
The report also refers to a number of “current issues” the region is experiencing that includes:
- The rapidly increasing number of homelessness including low to middle income families being exited from tenancies.
- Affordable housing continues to be extremely limited which impacts on crisis accommodation availability as there are no properties for people to move on to.
- Increased cost of living and cycle of poverty. This potentially can lead to crime or inability to meet rent responsibilities.
- The influx of property buyers from southern states driving a stronger demand that leads to affordable housing issues.
- Construction delays has slowed production that is fuelled by a skills shortage.
- Rental shortages.
- Challenges for young people in finding accommodation with no rental history.
- Local businesses having difficulties in finding accommodation for new staff recruited from outside of the region.
- Public perception being aired on social media that is often inaccurate.
Homeless Australia also states issues such as family violence or other violence (28% of people seeking homelessness support) and also other family relationship issues (5%).
The recommendations from the report look at short, medium and long term solutions that recognises and strong human services resourcing for the region to be utilised.
A national trend that is also infiltrating Hervey Bay is the abundance of large properties that are under-occupied.
Over the past decade, the nation has experienced a 100% increase in single adults occupying public housing (54% in 2016, compared to 21% in 2005). This can be attributed to a number of reasons including an ageing population, marriage and family trends, changing social considerations and a more mobile population.
The Queensland Government responded to this newspaper’s request for comment of what support is in place by confirming that as at 1 October 2023, the Department of Housing has committed $3,834,294 in Homelessness Program funding in 2023-24 to three organisations, who operate six support services in the Fraser Coast Local Government Area (LGA).
These organisations include Centacare services, CHL Outreach, Family Accommodation Service, Good Hope Men’s Service and Door 42 Hervey Bay.
“The Queensland Government is investing $5 billion in social and affordable housing supply and housing and homelessness supports, the largest concentrated investment in Queensland’s history”, says a spokesperson.
“Together with a recent $398 million investment from the Commonwealth Government under the Social Housing Accelerator, we are housing more vulnerable Queenslanders sooner and will commence up to 14,100 social housing and affordable homes by 30 June 2027. This investment means more vulnerable Queenslanders are housed sooner.”
“Not only is the government helping now, but also planning for the future, with a pipeline of social and affordable housing construction, and a strong focus on delivering more housing in regions where the need is greatest.”
“Our investment includes a commitment to helping people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This also includes funding to help vulnerable members of the community keep their private rental market tenancy and to support people at risk of homelessness.”
