Briefs

After years of relatively little progress on improving housing affordability the Australian Government has declared its commitment to developing a new National Housing and Homelessness Plan, ‘with the support and assistance of key stakeholders including States and Territories, local government, not for profit and civil society organisations, industry bodies, superannuation funds and other experts in housing, finance and urban development.’

Traditionally Australian judicial systems have ‘solved’ domestic and family violence situations by removing the women and children from their home. However, such actions can disrupt children’s schooling and friendship groups and lead to women and children’s homelessness.

Domestic and family violence (DFV) is a main reason women and children leave their home. In 2020–21, 116,200 people (42% of all SHS clients) who presented as clients to a Specialist Homelessness Service (SHS) reported that they were escaping DFV.

With energy costs for home heating and cooling likely to be high for some time, particularly across Australia’s eastern states and territories, improving the thermal characteristics of residential properties (especially rental properties) is of real concern.

This Brief quantifies some of the financial savings governments may make in health, justice and welfare costs when they fund support for people who are experiencing homelessness. It also highlights a range of better life outcomes vulnerable people may achieve through the use of homelessness support services.