WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN?

There have been numerous suggestions over the years as to how homelessness may be lessened, and hopefully one day eradicated. Positively, in recent years, there have been a number of changes in the division of funding for government-supported specialist homelessness services. However, the long road home is still significant as evolutionary change precedes revolutionary change for the homeless.

Leading Australian homelessness organisation, Homelessness Australia, is the primary institute which advocates for the homeless community. Their aim is to inform Australians, promote community awareness and also call upon the government to create and implement proper policies which will address the issue. A strong belief in the following three principles pervade their approach to the social issue of homelessness:

• Early intervention in order to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.
• Widespread access to temporary accommodation and basic services
• Support and assistance for those trying to recover and get back on their feet

More comprehensively, Homelessness Australia also suggest the following plans of action:

• A holistic, comprehensive national action plan to prevent and respond to homelessness in Australia. The 2008 White Paper provided a substantial framework for medium term action to progressively reduce homelessness in Australia. However, we need to build upon and strengthen this approach.
• More homes must be built. Homelessness Australia is calling on all political parties to support the adoption of policies, programs and strategies that will provide for the construction of an additional 220,000 affordable houses by 2020, including social housing dwellings.
• An Australian Minister for Housing and Homelessness who sits in Cabinet at a Federal level.
• An expansion of the value and reach of the National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA). The next NAHA must include substantial growth funding to enable the expansion of the social housing sector, especially community housing. Specialist homelessness services require growth funding to reduce turn-away rates and provide support to every person seeking it, every night.
• A commitment to fund the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) for a further four years with a minimum of at least $849 million in new funding needed.

Affirmative action has surfaced over the years because of individuals, groups and communities who have taken a stance against continuing cycles of homelessness. In the 2008 budget, the Federal government directed $150 million towards new homes for people leaving behind homelessness. The government also funds the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) which allows homeless people to find shelter, food and a bed, if availability permits.