Fix Homelessness

More Australians are homeless now than in any other time in our history, reaching unprecedented levels. Why has a country as resource-rich as Australia ended up here? When did this start and why? The answer is Labor and LNP policy. The sum of all parts that is homelessness comes from Labor and LNP policy. Some directly impact homelessness and others indirectly impacted homelessness. What is certain is that Aussies more than ever need a hand up. What we do not need is politicians putting the wants of other countries ahead of the needs of Australians. Yet that is exactly what they continue to do. 

Addressing homelessness requires a multi-faceted approach that includes increasing the availability of affordable housing, enhancing social services, and providing targeted support to those most at risk.

Here are a few reasons we are seeing so many Australians on the streets. The increasing cost of housing, both for buying and renting, has massively outpaced income growth. Foreign investment loopholes are another. Immigration and cost-of-living have created a competitive rental market with high demand and low supply, which leads to rising rents, making it harder for lower-income individuals and families to afford housing. We also have also lived through the greatest wealth transfer in history through the pandemic response where the rich massively grew their wealth taking from the middle-to-lower income earners. This creates economic inequality means that more people are falling into poverty, which increases the risk of homelessness. When you combine income inequality combined with rising living costs, this issue is exacerbated.

We have also seen reductions in funding for social services, including mental health support, addiction treatment, and affordable housing initiatives. These have impacted the ability of vulnerable populations to maintain stable housing. At the same time, immigration has increased to unprecedented levels. 

Domestic violence remains a significant cause of homelessness, particularly among women and children. The lack of sufficient safe and affordable accommodation options for those fleeing violence contributes to increased homelessness. This leads to an increase in the need for more mental health and substance abuse support. Many people facing these challenges struggle to find stable housing without adequate support services.

The homelessness crisis is more than just numbers; it represents personal stories of struggle and pain. Our region has its fair share but there are solutions if state and local government work together.