BCH POSITION STATEMENT
Date: 23 June 2022
The right to safe, secure and affordable housing
Ballarat Community Health’s core purpose is to support the Health and wellbeing for all with a commitment to the most vulnerable.
We recognise housing as a fundamental human right and that all Australians should have access to safe, secure and affordable accommodation and demonstrate our commitment and support by providing direct services, support, information and advocacy to clients and professionals.i
Key Messages
- Having stable, long-term housing is essential for an individual or family’s health, wellbeing, safety and security. Stable housing is crucial in empowering people to meet their full potential enabling them to be connected members of the Central Highlands community.ii
- Homelessness is not an individual issue, but a problem with inadequate funding to address systemic creators of disadvantage. Appropriate policy settings and properly funded services that address the underlying contributors to homelessness, such as housing supply and affordability, family and domestic violence, and poverty will have wide reaching impact. iii iv
- The numbers of individuals and families not able to be assisted by Specialist Housing Services is increasing, this is due largely to no accommodation options.v
- Investing in social housing creates significant economic and social benefits. Building 25,000 social and affordable homes per year would generate annual economic output of $12.7 billion and create 15,700 jobs.vi
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people need a system which is responsive to their housing needs and understands their connection to land, culture and family networks. Governments need to move beyond crisis management of Aboriginal housing to achieve equity in housing outcomes which requires a new perspective which addresses each of the drivers of housing outcomes. vii
- It is vital that we have a youth homelessness support system that meets the needs of the young people seeking its care, rather than trying to fit young people into an adult housing system. viii
What is homelessness?
Homelessness is far more than “rooflessness”. Homelessness means being without a safe, sustainable and private space to live. Most people without a home live in temporary, insecure, or unsafe housing situations such as rooming houses, cars, or government-funded crisis accommodation. Other people live in severely overcrowded accommodation or are couch surfing with family or friends.ix
Sometimes this is referred to as the “hidden homeless”, while more common than rough sleeping, it often goes unnoticed or is misunderstood.x xi xii
Contributing factors
Housing affordability has had an increasing impact on homelessness. A severe shortage of social housing, an unaffordable private rental market, and inadequate income support means that thousands of Australians struggle to find a safe and affordable place to live. Despite worsening rental affordability federal funding for social housing continues to decline.xiii xiv xv
The main reasons for people seeking homelessness and housing assistance during 2020–21 were financial difficulties, family and domestic violence, and the housing crisis.xvi xvii xviii
Homelessness is associated with poor health outcomes and results in significant costs to the Australian healthcare system. Chronic health conditions also contribute to the occurrence of homelessness and a person’s ability to sustain housing.xix People experiencing homelessness presented with a range of serious medical and mental health conditions at significantly higher rates than normally seen across the general population.xx
Around one in three people seeking help from homelessness services are women and children escaping domestic and family violence, yet often they cannot find the crisis accommodation and support that is vital if they are to rebuild their lives. Unfortunately, many women return to violent partners because they have nowhere to live and cannot afford housing. xxi xxii
Young people aged 19-24, are far more likely to experience homelessness than any other population age group. It is difficult to rehouse young people who cannot return home; due to their low incomes and limited living skills which can make private rental unsustainable.xxiii Under resourcing of the youth housing services means that many young people are not able to receive support. Less than half of young people requiring support were able to be provided with medium- or longer-term accommodation because none was available.xxiv
Older women are the most rapidly growing groups in our community at risk of homelessness. Many older women are living in precarious situations, due to lack of superannuation, housing access and affordability and increasing health costs.xxv xxvi
Due to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dispossession, dislocation and sustained economic exclusion, they are also disproportionally represented in the homelessness sector and have additional barriers to accessing safe and secure housing. Without affordable and appropriate alternatives, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families live in overcrowded households and substandard dwellings.xxvii
We at BCH support people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in all our services and programs. We are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone in our community, especially our vulnerable community members, this cannot be fully realised when homelessness is at a critical level.
Faced with this national challenge, we are calling upon all sides of politics, and all representatives in the elected Federal Parliament to demonstrate leadership on this issue.xiii xiv xv
We seek a future where everyone has a home and no one individual or family is excluded from this basic right and security.
For more information contact:
- Innovative Health Services for Homeless Youth – Ballarat Community Health (bchc.org.au) or call 5338 4500
i United Nations. 2015. “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Australian Human Rights Commission. Accessed July 18th, 2022. https://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/pdf/udhr_booklet_en_web.pdf.
ii House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs. 2021. Inquiry into
homelessness in Australia. Final, House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, Canberra: Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportrep/024522/toc_pdf/Finalreport.pdf;fileTyp e=application%2Fpdf
iii Flatau, Paul, Leanne Lester, Zoe Callis, Chris Hartley, Emma Barnes, Katie Brebner Griffen, Sharon Parkinson, Selina Tually, Ian Goodwin-Smith, and Veronica Coram. 2022. Ending Homelessness in Australia. An evidence- based briefing, Centre for Social Impact. https://www.csi.edu.au/media/uploads/csi_bp_homelessness.pdf
iv House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs. 2021. Inquiry into homelessness in Australia. Final, House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, Canberra: Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportrep/024522/toc_pdf/Finalreport.pdf;fileTyp e=application%2Fpdf
v Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2021. Specialist homelessness services annual report 2020–21. Australian Government. https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/95657e24-6730-4249-93cf- 64d1d284baad/Specialist-homelessness-services-annual-report-2020-21.pdf.aspx?inline=true
vi Equity Economics. 2022. Double Return – How Investing In Social Housing Can Address The Growing Homelessness Crisis And Boost Australia’s Economic Recovery. Australian Communities Foundation. https://everybodyshome.com.au/resources/equity-economics-double-return-report/
vii Aboriginal Housing Victoria . 2020. Mana-na woorn-tyeen maar-takoort (Every Aboriginal Person Has A Home) – The Victorian Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Framework. Aboriginal Housing Victoria . https://www.vahhf.org.au/cms_uploads/docs/victorian-aboriginal-housing-and-homelessness- framework_complete_26_02_20.pdf
viii Council to Homeless Persons. 2022. Submission to the Victorian Youth Strategy. Council to Homeless Persons. https://chp.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/210104-Submission-to-the-Victorian-Youth- Strategy-FINAL.pdf
ix Council to Homeless Persons. 2022. chp.org.au. Accessed June 1, 2022. https://chp.org.au
x Flatau, Paul, Leanne Lester, Ami Seivwright, Renee Teal, Jessica Dobrovic, Shannen Vallesi, Chris Hartley, and Zoe Callis. 2021. Ending homelessness in Australia: An evidence and policy deep dive. Perth: Centre for Social Impact, The University of Western Australia and the University of New South Wales. https://www.csi.edu.au/media/uploads/homelessness_deep_dive_full_report_.pdf
xi Homelessness Australia. 2022. homelessnessaustralia.org.au . Accessed June 1, 2022. https://homelessnessaustralia.org.au
xii Council to Homeless Persons. 2022. chp.org.au. Accessed June 1, 2022. https://chp.org.au
xiii Equity Economics. 2021. Nowhere To Go; the benefits of providing long term social housing to woman that have expereinces domestic and family violence. Equity Economics. https://everybodyshome.com.au/wp- content/uploads/2022/03/EE_Women-Housing_Domestic-Violence_WEB_SINGLES-2-compressed.pdf
xiv The Senate. 2020. Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support payments in Australia. Community Affairs References Committee – Inquiry , Community Affairs References Committee, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra: the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House. https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportsen/024323/toc_pdf/AdequacyofNewstarta ndrelatedpaymentsandalternativemechanismstodeterminethelevelofincomesupportpaymentsinAustralia.pdf;fi leType=application%2Fpdf
xv Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2022. Housing Data. Accessed May 27, 2022. https://www.housingdata.gov.au/
xvi Flatau, Paul, Leanne Lester, Zoe Callis, Chris Hartley, Emma Barnes, Katie Brebner Griffen, Sharon Parkinson, Selina Tually, Ian Goodwin-Smith, and Veronica Coram. 2022. Ending Homelessness in Australia. An evidence- based briefing, Centre for Social Impact. https://www.csi.edu.au/media/uploads/csi_bp_homelessness.pdf
xvii Council to Homeless Persons. 2022. chp.org.au. Accessed June 1, 2022. https://chp.org.au
xviii Everybody’s Home. 2022. “Submission to the Inquiry into homelessness.” Everybody’s Home. Accessed May 25, 2022. www.everybodyshome.com.au
xix Flatau, Paul, Katie Tyson, Zoe Callis, Ami Seivwrig, Emily Box, Lobna Rouhani, Sze-Wan Ng, Noah Lester, and Daniel Firth. 2018. The State of Homelessness in Australia’s Cities: A Health and Social Cost Too HIgh. Perth: Centre for Social Impact UWA. https://www.csi.edu.au/media/STATE_OF_HOMELESSNESS_REPORT_FINAL.pdf xx Flatau, Paul, Leanne Lester, Ami Seivwright, Renee Teal, Jessica Dobrovic, Shannen Vallesi, Chris Hartley, and Zoe Callis. 2021. Ending homelessness in Australia: An evidence and policy deep dive. Perth: Centre for Social Impact, The University of Western Australia and the University of New South Wales. https://www.csi.edu.au/media/uploads/homelessness_deep_dive_full_report_.pdf
xxi Equity Economics. 2021. Nowhere To Go; the benefits of providing long term social housing to woman that have expereinces domestic and family violence. Equity Economics. https://everybodyshome.com.au/wp- content/uploads/2022/03/EE_Women-Housing_Domestic-Violence_WEB_SINGLES-2-compressed.pdf
xxii United Nations. 2015. “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Australian Human Rights Commission.
Accessed July 18th, 2022. https://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/pdf/udhr_booklet_en_web.pdf.
xxiii Council to Homeless Persons. 2022. Submission to the Victorian Youth Strategy. Council to Homeless Persons. https://chp.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/210104-Submission-to-the-Victorian-Youth-
xxiv Everybody’s Home. 2022. “Young Australians crunched by housing crisis.” Everybody’s Home. April 20.
Accessed 2022. https://everybodyshome.com.au/young-australians-crunched-by-housing-crisis/
xxv Anglicare Australia. 2022. “Anglicare Australia.” Rental Affordability Snapshot 2021. Anglicare Australia. Accessed may 25, 2022. https://www.anglicare.asn.au/publications/rental-affordability-snapshot-2021/ xxvi Mercy Foundation. n.d. “Older women and homelessness.” Mercy Foundation. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.mercyfoundation.com.au/our-focus/ending-homelessness/older-women-and-homelessness/ xxvii Aboriginal Housing Victoria . 2020. Mana-na woorn-tyeen maar-takoort (Every Aboriginal Person Has A Home) – The Victorian Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Framework. Aboriginal Housing Victoria . https://www.vahhf.org.au/cms_uploads/docs/victorian-aboriginal-housing-and-homelessness- framework_complete_26_02_20.pdf
xxviii House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs. 2021. Inquiry into homelessness in Australia. Final, House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, Canberra: Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportrep/024522/toc_pdf/Finalreport.pdf;fileTyp e=application%2Fpdf
xxix Equity Economics. 2022. Double Return – How Investing In Social Housing Can Address The Growing Homelessness Crisis And Boost Australia’s Economic Recovery. Australian Communities Foundation. https://everybodyshome.com.au/resources/equity-economics-double-return-report/ \
References
Aboriginal Housing Victoria . 2020. Mana-na woorn-tyeen maar-takoort (Every Aboriginal Person Has A Home) – The Victorian Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Framework. Aboriginal Housing Victoria . https://www.vahhf.org.au/cms_uploads/docs/victorian-aboriginal- housing-and-homelessness-framework_complete_26_02_20.pdf
Anglicare Australia. 2022. “Anglicare Australia.” Rental Affordability Snapshot 2021. Anglicare Australia. Accessed may 25, 2022. https://www.anglicare.asn.au/publications/rental- affordability-snapshot-2021/
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2022. Housing Data. Accessed May 27, 2022. https://www.housingdata.gov.au/
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2021. Specialist homelessness services annual report 2020–21. Australian Government. https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/95657e24-6730- 4249-93cf-64d1d284baad/Specialist-homelessness-services-annual-report-2020- 21.pdf.aspx?inline=true
Ballarat Community Health, Monash University. n.d. “Food Insecurity Infographic.” Ballarat Community Health. Accessed June 21, 2022. https://bchc.org.au/wp- content/uploads/2022/06/food-insecurity-infographic-1.pdf
Council to Homeless Persons. 2022. chp.org.au. Accessed June 1, 2022. https://chp.org.au
Council to Homeless Persons. 2022. Submission to the Victorian Youth Strategy. Council to Homeless Persons. https://chp.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/210104-Submission-to-the- Victorian-Youth-Strategy-FINAL.pdf
Equity Economics. 2022. Double Return – How Investing In Social Housing Can Address The Growing Homelessness Crisis And Boost Australia’s Economic Recovery. Australian Communities Foundation. https://everybodyshome.com.au/resources/equity-economics-double-return- report/
Equity Economics. 2021. Nowhere To Go; the benefits of providing long term social housing to woman that have expereinces domestic and family violence. Equity Economics. https://everybodyshome.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/EE_Women- Housing_Domestic-Violence_WEB_SINGLES-2-compressed.pdf
Everybody’s Home. 2022. “Young Australians crunched by housing crisis.” Everybody’s Home. April 20 Accessed 2022. https://everybodyshome.com.au/young-australians-crunched-by- housing-crisis/
Everybody’s Home. 2022. “Submission to the Inquiry into homelessness.” Everybody’s Home. Accessed May 25, 2022. www.everybodyshome.com.au
Flatau, Paul, Katie Tyson, Zoe Callis, Ami Seivwrig, Emily Box, Lobna Rouhani, Sze-Wan Ng, Noah Lester, and Daniel Firth. 2018. The State of Homelessness in Australia’s Cities: A Health and Social Cost Too HIgh. Perth: Centre for Social Impact UWA. https://www.csi.edu.au/media/STATE_OF_HOMELESSNESS_REPORT_FINAL.pdf
Flatau, Paul, Leanne Lester, Ami Seivwright, Renee Teal, Jessica Dobrovic, Shannen Vallesi, Chris Hartley, and Zoe Callis. 2021. Ending homelessness in Australia: An evidence and policy deep dive. Perth: Centre for Social Impact, The University of Western Australia and the University of New South Wales. https://www.csi.edu.au/media/uploads/homelessness_deep_dive_full_report_.pdf
Flatau, Paul, Leanne Lester, Zoe Callis, Chris Hartley, Emma Barnes, Katie Brebner Griffen, Sharon Parkinson, Selina Tually, Ian Goodwin-Smith, and Veronica Coram. 2022. Ending Homelessness in Australia. An evidence-based briefing, Centre for Social Impact. https://www.csi.edu.au/media/uploads/csi_bp_homelessness.pdf
Homelessness Australia. 2022. homelessnessaustralia.org.au . Accessed June 1, 2022. https://homelessnessaustralia.org.au
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs. 2021. Inquiry into homelessness in Australia. Final, House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, Canberra: Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportrep/024522/toc_pdf/Fina lreport.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf
Mercy Foundation. n.d. “Older women and homelessness.” Mercy Foundation. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.mercyfoundation.com.au/our-focus/ending-homelessness/older- women-and-homelessness/
Mission Australia. 2022. Productivity Commission’s review of the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement. Mission Australia. https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/publications/submissions-and-reports/housing-and- homelessness
The Senate. 2020. Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support payments in Australia. Community Affairs References Committee – Inquiry , Community Affairs References Committee, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra: the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House. https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportsen/024323/toc_pdf/Adequacyof Newstartandrelatedpaymentsandalternativemechanismstodeterminethelevelofincomesupportpaym entsinAustralia.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf
United Nations. 2015. “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Australian Human Rights Commission. Accessed July 18th, 2022. https://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/pdf/udhr_booklet_en_web.pdf.
