Hidden homelessness in Australia
The faces of homelessness in Australia are people in need of protection - particularly women and children who are escaping domestic and family violence; people living with mental illness and other debilitating medical issues and disabilities, and people seeking protection as refugees in Australia.
Homelessness in Australia is often hidden for those in our community, like people seeking asylum with no work rights and no income support, while they wait for resolution of their visa status.
Many people are in substandard accommodation, overcrowded housing, as well as couch surfing. This is the unseen homelessness in Australia.
For most of us, homelessness is only noticeable to us when people are sleeping rough under road bridges and in railway and bus station access areas.
Many church and community charities are providing support to prevent people from becoming homeless. Families are seeking assistance with rental support.
In Brisbane, 150 people waiting for protection visas and with no income support, report that they are either homeless or at risk of homelessness, reports Rev Brian Hoole of Emmanuel Uniting Church. The consortium of services in the ASRA Program has recently employed a Housing Assistance Officer to try to meet the needs in Brisbane.
A small Church-based housing service for people seeking asylum and living with visa uncertainty in Melbourne currently pays a total of $130,000 per month in rent to ensure that the people they are supporting do not become homeless. The agency relies on community donations to do this.
The members of the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT) are concerned that the response to housing and rental support needs of people seeking asylum has been left to State and Territory Governments. As this support is being wound back post COVID, the ACRT wants the Federal Government to step up to meet the needs.
ACRT is encouraging support of the Everybody’s Home campaign, by signing the petition and contacting your Federal MP and Senator, to support the development of a national strategy to end homelessness that embraces all vulnerable groups including people seeking asylum in Australia.
‘Whatever you do for the least of these, you did for me.’ (cf Matt 25:40)
Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT) is an activity of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA).
We believe our faith calls us to welcome the stranger and care for the people who find themselves displaced, marginalised or homeless, and those in need of protection. We want to see a compassionate and generous response to welcoming refugees into Australia.
