A new $300 million commitment to housing will transform lives, giving young people and women escaping violence the safety and stability they need to rebuild and, from there, to re-engage with education and jobs.
The Home Time youth housing coalition and Homelessness Australia have strongly endorsed the Government’s decision to extend the Housing Australia Future Fund crisis and transitional program as grant funding to support the delivery of approximately 500 additional homes.
For many young people, homelessness starts with violence at home, not a choice or a failure of their own making.
“When we give a young person a safe place to live, we aren’t just putting a roof over their head. We are giving them the foundation to stay in school, recover from trauma, and build a life,” Home Time spokesperson, Shorna Moore, said. “For the young people currently in shelters or sleeping in parks, this announcement offers real hope.”
Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin said the announcement recognised that young people and women and children fleeing violence should never have to choose between homelessness and staying in a violent home.
“This is the sort of investment that saves lives. So many women and young people face the impossible choice of being homeless or staying in a violent home. Each one of these safe homes will give people a chance to escape homelessness and violence and rebuild their lives.”
Visit Homelessness Australia’s website
Homelessness Australia has released an election platform outlining 12 actions to drive down homelessness or provide the support needed so people can avoid or escape from homelessness and sustain a home. Platform includes new analysis that shows more than 120,000 people annually are trying to get homelessness help, and either being turned away or unable to get through the door. If each of these people was provided support at an average cost per client services would needs an additional $671 million.
You can join and learn more about the campaign ‘No One Turned Away’ Here
The Centre’s summary of the Report on Government Services 2025 is now available for download. The report covers:
- Child Protection
- Youth Justice
- Services for people with disability
- Housing and homelessness
- Health
- Early childhood education and care
Homelessness Australia welcomes the Federal Government’s renewed focus on addressing homelessness among Australians with disabilities, as outlined in the revised national Disability Strategy.
“The inclusion of a dedicated homelessness priority area in the revised national disability plan, and introduction of the Targeted Action Plan for 2025-2027 on Inclusive Homes and Communities is an important step to address a major problem,” said Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin.
“This recognises the enormous barriers faced by people with disabilities in accessing safe and affordable housing that meets their needs.
“People with poor mental health and psychosocial disabilities often need support to sustain their housing, and a home they can afford, but neither support, nor low cost housing is available. This is why we continue to see people with psychosocial disability and other complex needs becoming trapped in homelessness or in exploitative and unsafe housing conditions.”