The 2025 election is over and now it’s time for Labor to deliver on campaign promises to address homelessness.

Action on homelessness is long overdue. Affordable housing options remain scarce and public and community housing waitlists keep growing.

The crisis springs from decades of government policy failures in many areas. Homelessness is linked to poverty, stigma, violence and poor health.

Labor has promised to:

• build more affordable housing
• reduce social housing waitlists
• prioritise groups vulnerable to homelessness
• invest A$1.2 billion in homelessness accommodation.

This is welcome, but it’s crucial people who have experienced homelessness are involved in the design of policy and services. They are the experts.

Our recent research involved speaking with 47 people with current or past experiences of homelessness in Victoria and South Australia. The study was co-designed and co-led by people who had experienced homelessness.

Pressmaster/Shutterstock

See us, hear us

Participants told us their perspectives aren’t valued. One said:

Homeless people [are] looked down upon. The individual is not considered. They fall on hard times for many reasons. They will judge you and they’ll categorise you.

Another said:

Do we have a voice? No, we don’t, because they don’t care […] they don’t listen.

Many wanted to influence policy and service design. One said:

I think it’s really important that people like us […] have a say in the way we move forward, and it’s not coming from people in really nice suits […] that don’t really have any experience.

Respect our expertise

People who’ve experienced homelessness can “identify things that someone without that lived experience may simply not have thought of in the first place”, one person told us.

They should be involved as staff and leaders in service design and provision. One person said:

I think if there were people that were around with lived experience that could somehow get in contact with people like me at that time and say, “Look, mate, you don’t have to go down this path, you don’t have to live this kind of life, there’s another way”.

One participant who’d experienced domestic violence said navigating all the different non-government agencies was complicated. Decisions were made without her input.

A failure to find this woman housing eventually led to her children being removed.

Respect needs to be at the centre of service provision. One participant described overhearing workers complaining about the smell of homeless people. Another said they’d value practical advice from people who’d experienced homelessness:

Having someone who’s actually been through that and can actually then describe what navigating systems means to someone coming in could be a really useful way to employ someone in homelessness services.

Valuing and paying for the expertise of people who have experienced homelessness is vital. One participant said:

I was on a panel with CEOs of homelessness organisations [and] was asked one hour before: “Would you like to be the lived experience voice?” So, was I paid the same? No. Was I given the same respect as everyone else? No. Was I given enough time to prepare? No. But did I deliver? Yes, I delivered. I showed up and I still was able to deliver. So, I think my expertise […] is just as valid as anybody else’s.

Another said:

You need to get as wide a lived experience as possible, otherwise it’s a bit pointless if they’re all 30-year-old white guys.

From prison to homelessness

Around half of those leaving prison exit into homelessness.

Many women in these circumstances must choose between homelessness and returning to violent situations.

Community organisations work hard to keep women housed, but this requires adequate and ongoing funding.

One formerly incarcerated woman told us:

Incarceration creates homelessness […] they’re released into a void […] If that was me, I would definitely rather be in prison than be on the street.

Another said:

Most women who are in prison suffered from childhood sexual abuse, they’ve suffered domestic violence and suffered a lot of trauma […] but for some reason, that’s all forgotten for us when we’re released.

People with experience of homelessness are best placed to guide the design and delivery of services, and offer pragmatic solutions.

One participant told us:

When I came out [of hospital], one of the community service people said, “Oh, we can put you in a hotel for four nights.” And I said, “Actually, the best thing I need is four new tyres on my van.” And they said, “No, we can’t do that.” The tyres would be cheaper than the hotel. But they said, “No, we can’t.” I’ve always said solutions don’t have to be pretty, but they have to work.

People told us a one-size-fits-all, box-ticking approach won’t work because:

not everybody fits into those categories. Everybody [is] in different circumstances.

Another said:

You go to a service, they don’t care about your purpose. They don’t care about your goal. They care about: “Have I provided my service that I’m obligated to give?”

Many services aren’t working for homeless people. One participant said:

One of the reasons I stayed homeless is because I either had to kill my dog or give my dog up and I couldn’t do either because he was my saviour. So, I lived in that car. At that time, I was freezing and gave whatever blankets I could to my dog. He got so sick […] I contacted another place [and] asked for a sleeping bag and a tent to be sent to me and it was sent to the service provider that never gave it to me.

Many people have no choice but to sleep in their car. Alexander Knyazhinsky/Shutterstock

​

What now?

Our research participants called for policy addressing poverty and for the perspectives of people who’d experienced homelessness to be:

• embedded in housing and homelessness policy, service design and practice
• recognised, valued and properly remunerated
• involved in leading research.

The authors thank the people with experience with homelessness who led our research.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

 

[Suzanne rose]

There are some who choose homelessness and those who have no choice.

I remember when I started work in the city in 2009. There was a man who camped outside Myers and apparently he was there for years.
Afterwork one Saturday I was walking with a colleague and as I walked past him I dropped a $10 note into his box. I did this every Saturday. I thought I did it discreetly as I had it in my pocket. She saw and scolded me, saying didn't I know he actually chose to live there and he actually had money in the bank. His story was on current affairs.
Over the years I saw they tried to relocate him including in housing but he aways ended up back outside Myers.

They even made a garden planter box to stop him but he then used that as a bed, so they then removed it
I was in the city last week and yes he is still there.

I do agree our homelessness is very unnecessary, we should be putting money into fixing this problem rather than sending billions of $ overseas.
Charity begins at home.

 

[dabski2]

Well what can you say, you voted in a group who did nought for housing in their last tenure. Now they have a mandate to rip and strip the public and spend it on Diesel for the generators when the power goes off.
People who govern for the people, including the opposition, have no courtesy to sit down like intelligent humans and have a serious discussion on Nuclear Energy.Take a look, Tullamarine Airport opened in 1970 Libs were in Power and still no train service in or out. That's not called governing for the people.
Most of these so-called politicians couldn't get a real job on Civilian streets along with the rest of us.
Untill we have a change of Political sense then we are doomed to go the way of Argentina even without a Dictatorship.

 

[Suzanne rose]

This is the man who lives outside Myers.
I would often see him in the food court under myers having a huge meal.

He had that same sign the whole 15 years I worked in the city.

He also stated he wasnt on welfare but it came out on A current Affairs he was actually on centrelink


THE hours are long and the work monotonous, but begging pays well for at least one of Sydney's homeless men who earns up to $50,000 a year from good samaritans.
Ken Johnson, 52, makes his living at George and Market St, outside the Myer store in Sydney's CBD, where he sits for up to 16 hours daily, seven days a week.

On a good day, he said, he takes in $400 from generous passers-by.
On slower days, he still picks up amounts between $75 and $150.

"I'd be really disappointed if I did a long Friday and I only had $250,'' said Mr Johnson, who has been living on the streets ``since the late '90s''.

"I knock off when I feel like it, or if I've done brilliantly. But on those good days, you might be on such a high that you go for a few more hours and get a bit more money.''

Mr Johnson wouldn't say how much he earned last year. But he did reveal that donated coins and notes are stashed in a safe place, before being taken to a bank branch and deposited in his account several times a week. Some of the money is given to a friend.

Asked what he used the money for, he told The Sunday Telegraph he did not smoke, drink nor take drugs, but was raising money to help the friend who needs a liver transplant.

Mr Johnson displays a sign that reads: ``Needing support for major family exp(enses) including just heaps for medicine. Paying up is a big grind. Please leave me alone, if you are the abusive nasty sort.''
When The Sunday Telegraph caught up with him last Wednesday, business had been good. In 20 minutes, he collected $30 in coins and notes. One woman handed him $10.

"I've had three hours off today,'' he said, after treating himself to a breakfast from Hungry Jack's.

"I got a $20 note earlier, so I'm sitting on about $60 for the day and the afternoon rush is still to come.

"There's a general rule in donating and that is that people are more likely to help out when they are towards the end of their day, when they're happy and heading home.''

His tax-free income might sound fine but, unlike most jobs, there's no sick leave nor superannuation plan.
He does not draw welfare because ``it makes you feel like a cripple''.

Mr Johnson said he could not afford to rent and lived on the streets because the money had been spent to pay for bills for his friend.

"Most hostels don't have space to store things and to rent a small unit just costs too much when you're at stress point,'' he said.

Originally from Newcastle, he said he came to Sydney ``in the 1990s'' to fight a court battle against the RTA, seeking to have part of the Pacific Highway at Swansea deemed illegal.

"Inner-city accommodation was, and still is, just off the face of the earth _ it's just too expensive,'' he said. ``I was unemployed at the time, so decided to sleep on some concrete steps while I was in Sydney and I just got used to it.''

 

[HelenB55]

More and more people are suffering hard times, yet Albo flips off in his jet at the drop of a a hat.

His heart is STONE COLD & has he no respect for these people who are suffering.

My blood curdles each time I hear or see him. I just cannot stand the ugly bastard.

Australia deserves better than him & his circus of clowns.

 

[Sierra040]

I believe that a lot of people choose homelessness. No rent, no electricity, no other household bills and you can go to work ever day and know your neighbour will keep an eye on your “home”. How can people who have been offered homes say I don’t want to live there if they truly want a house to live in. Sure some suburbs may not be ideal but a house is a house and if you want to get off the street you can take it and make the home you want.

 

[Mikeyboy2012]

As I and others have always said, you can never know what it's like until you're there yourself. That goes for anything.

Ask the experts. Those who live it every day.

Long term housing plans are all well and good, but where will they sleep this month, this week, tonight?

Permanent interim housing is well and truly overdue.

I put forward such interim measures and many suggestions to Federal, State and Local members and all I received was..."Yes, we've considered that"....but no action. Pathetic!

 

[Joydie]

Well what can you say, you voted in a group who did nought for housing in their last tenure. Now they have a mandate to rip and strip the public and spend it on Diesel for the generators when the power goes off.
People who govern for the people, including the opposition, have no courtesy to sit down like intelligent humans and have a serious discussion on Nuclear Energy.Take a look, Tullamarine Airport opened in 1970 Libs were in Power and still no train service in or out. That's not called governing for the people.
Most of these so-called politicians couldn't get a real job on Civilian streets along with the rest of us.
Untill we have a change of Political sense then we are doomed to go the way of Argentina even without a Dictatorship.

I've said this very thing many times. People: check out Venezuela and Argentina so you can see what Australia will look like in just a few years.

 

[Polly.L]

Well what can you say, you voted in a group who did nought for housing in their last tenure. Now they have a mandate to rip and strip the public and spend it on Diesel for the generators when the power goes off.
People who govern for the people, including the opposition, have no courtesy to sit down like intelligent humans and have a serious discussion on Nuclear Energy. Take a look, Tullamarine Airport opened in 1970 Libs were in Power and still no train service in or out. That's not called governing for the people.
Most of these so-called politicians couldn't get a real job on Civilian streets along with the rest of us.
Untill we have a change of Political sense then we are doomed to go the way of Argentina even without a Dictatorship.

While it may be opportune to jump on the bandwagon, and exploit the issue as a political one, it is a social problem the World over, not just in Australia, and it's one that presents a mammoth challenge for governments everywhere.
Data presented in 2024 by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) showed that there were between 1.6 billion and 3 billion people around the world without decent housing.
More than 1.1 billion people resided in slums and unauthorized settlements in 2022, which is an increase of around 130 million since 2015.
The nature of 'community' has changed significantly and while it was possible to cram people, from all creeds, colours and walks of life into high density housing to form a workable commune, the complexities of modern day living make it a virtually impossible option now.
Whichever party governs, they face an impossible task.

 

[deni67]

This is the man who lives outside Myers.
I would often see him in the food court under myers having a huge meal.

He had that same sign the whole 15 years I worked in the city.

He also stated he wasnt on welfare but it came out on A current Affairs he was actually on centrelink

View attachment 74206
THE hours are long and the work monotonous, but begging pays well for at least one of Sydney's homeless men who earns up to $50,000 a year from good samaritans.
Ken Johnson, 52, makes his living at George and Market St, outside the Myer store in Sydney's CBD, where he sits for up to 16 hours daily, seven days a week.

On a good day, he said, he takes in $400 from generous passers-by.
On slower days, he still picks up amounts between $75 and $150.

"I'd be really disappointed if I did a long Friday and I only had $250,'' said Mr Johnson, who has been living on the streets ``since the late '90s''.

"I knock off when I feel like it, or if I've done brilliantly. But on those good days, you might be on such a high that you go for a few more hours and get a bit more money.''

Mr Johnson wouldn't say how much he earned last year. But he did reveal that donated coins and notes are stashed in a safe place, before being taken to a bank branch and deposited in his account several times a week. Some of the money is given to a friend.

Asked what he used the money for, he told The Sunday Telegraph he did not smoke, drink nor take drugs, but was raising money to help the friend who needs a liver transplant.

Mr Johnson displays a sign that reads: ``Needing support for major family exp(enses) including just heaps for medicine. Paying up is a big grind. Please leave me alone, if you are the abusive nasty sort.''
When The Sunday Telegraph caught up with him last Wednesday, business had been good. In 20 minutes, he collected $30 in coins and notes. One woman handed him $10.

"I've had three hours off today,'' he said, after treating himself to a breakfast from Hungry Jack's.

"I got a $20 note earlier, so I'm sitting on about $60 for the day and the afternoon rush is still to come.

"There's a general rule in donating and that is that people are more likely to help out when they are towards the end of their day, when they're happy and heading home.''

His tax-free income might sound fine but, unlike most jobs, there's no sick leave nor superannuation plan.
He does not draw welfare because ``it makes you feel like a cripple''.

Mr Johnson said he could not afford to rent and lived on the streets because the money had been spent to pay for bills for his friend.

"Most hostels don't have space to store things and to rent a small unit just costs too much when you're at stress point,'' he said.

Originally from Newcastle, he said he came to Sydney ``in the 1990s'' to fight a court battle against the RTA, seeking to have part of the Pacific Highway at Swansea deemed illegal.

"Inner-city accommodation was, and still is, just off the face of the earth _ it's just too expensive,'' he said. ``I was unemployed at the time, so decided to sleep on some concrete steps while I was in Sydney and I just got used to it.''

He looks well fed!

 

[dabski2]

You will not fix it with the building of single units. As sad as it is, the only way is the 50 and 60`s style high rises.
Get out of CBD Areas and go to outer suburban hubs or Railheads. Decentralize the system close to areas that encourage working etc,placed near the rail hubs that have transport for getting to someplace for work or medical facilities. Even this will take considerable time and money. But also factor in the Labour Unions and there additional unknown costs.

 

[Jest]

There are some who choose homelessness and those who have no choice.

I remember when I started work in the city in 2009. There was a man who camped outside Myers and apparently he was there for years.
Afterwork one Saturday I was walking with a colleague and as I walked past him I dropped a $10 note into his box. I did this every Saturday. I thought I did it discreetly as I had it in my pocket. She saw and scolded me, saying didn't I know he actually chose to live there and he actually had money in the bank. His story was on current affairs.
Over the years I saw they tried to relocate him including in housing but he aways ended up back outside Myers.

They even made a garden planter box to stop him but he then used that as a bed, so they then removed it
I was in the city last week and yes he is still there.

I do agree our homelessness is very unnecessary, we should be putting money into fixing this problem rather than sending billions of $ overseas.
Charity begins at home.

More and more people are suffering hard times, yet Albo flips off in his jet at the drop of a a hat.

His heart is STONE COLD & has he no respect for these people who are suffering.

My blood curdles each time I hear or see him. I just cannot stand the ugly bastard.

Australia deserves better than him & his circus of clowns.

could not agree more. i wonder if all these sob ones voted labour, if so, they are at fault.
to the one above, Tell Albo charity begins at home. Most of us have our own, cancer, fred hollows, the blind, they are mine. choices are made by people.