Unseen Christmas crisis may be on the horizon for many vulnerable Australians
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Content warning: This article discusses domestic abuse, which may be distressing for some readers. Discretion is advised.
As the festive season approaches, a hidden crisis is threatening to cast a shadow over the celebrations for thousands of vulnerable Australians.
Homelessness advocacy groups are raising the alarm, calling for an urgent increase in crisis accommodation in New South Wales (NSW) as the demand for such services skyrockets during the holiday period.
Homelessness NSW, a leading advocacy body, has warned of an impending crisis this Christmas season.
The organisation reports that one in two people seeking temporary or crisis accommodation are being turned away due to a lack of available resources.
This issue is particularly acute during the holiday season, a time when short-term housing providers face a significant surge in demand.
Dom Rowe, the Chief Executive of Homelessness NSW, explained that the Christmas holidays often exacerbate financial and social pressures within families, leading to an increase in social conflict and domestic violence.
'There can be increased social conflict or conflict within families, where you can see a spike in domestic violence happening,' Ms Rowe said.
'It’s a very difficult time of the year, and you can imagine it’s very scary for those women and children suffering that violence,' she said.
Rowe shared the distressing account of an operator in the Illawarra area who had to reject 11 people seeking her services over a single weekend.
'It’s a sign of something larger that’s happening in NSW,' Ms Rowe added.
In response to this escalating crisis, Homelessness NSW is urging the state government to double the availability of temporary accommodation over the next three years.
This call to action is backed by recent data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which revealed that 68,400 people used a homelessness service in the 2022-23 financial year.
However, 51 per cent of people seeking emergency short-term accommodation were turned away.
The need for increased temporary accommodation is particularly acute in regional areas, where women and children escaping domestic violence often have to travel long distances to find safe and secure accommodation.
Rowe emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating, 'You shouldn’t have to choose between a violent home or being homeless, and supports need to be in place.'
'That’s why we’re suggesting the need to double the amount of temporary accommodation because right now, one in two people don’t have a place to go.'
She feared that those who are turned away may be at risk of 'falling out of the system entirely'.
Other suggestions included increasing temporary accommodation in rural and regional areas and establishing a 20 per cent allocation in those temporary accommodation services solely for women and children who are victims of domestic violence.
Rose Jackson, NSW Minister for Housing and Homelessness, acknowledged the challenges faced by many during the holiday period. She assured that the government is committed to reviewing current initiatives to ensure people can access the support they need throughout the year.
'There are so many people struggling right now, and we want to make sure as many people as possible can access temporary accommodation and aren’t turned away,' Ms Jackson said.
'We know there is no single solution to our housing and homelessness crisis and are committed to addressing this issue from every direction.'
Since taking office in March, the NSW Labor government has implemented several measures to improve access to temporary housing.
These included the removal of the annual 28-day cap for people seeking temporary housing and the extension of the period people are allowed to seek accommodation from two days to seven.
They also increased the cash access limit for people seeking temporary accommodation from $1,000 to $5,000. The limit has also been removed altogether for people escaping domestic and family violence.
However, according to Ms Rowe, despite these measures, demand continued to outstrip supply.
Ms Jackson acknowledged this issue, stating that building more housing, especially in regional areas, is a priority for the government.
'You can’t solve homelessness if you don’t have homes for people to live in,' Ms Jackson argued.
'In [the] last budget, we invested $70 million to help accelerate the delivery of social and affordable homes for primarily regional NSW and put in an extra $11 million urgent funding injection to temporary accommodation to ensure there is even more support for people who need emergency housing.'
If you, or anyone you know, are a victim of abuse, please contact the National Sexual Assault, Family, & Domestic Violence Counselling Service’s 24/7 hotline on 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), the Safe at Home Hotline on 1800 633 937, or the Family Violence Crisis and Support Service on 1800 608 122.
What are your thoughts on this issue, members? Let us know in the comments below.
As the festive season approaches, a hidden crisis is threatening to cast a shadow over the celebrations for thousands of vulnerable Australians.
Homelessness advocacy groups are raising the alarm, calling for an urgent increase in crisis accommodation in New South Wales (NSW) as the demand for such services skyrockets during the holiday period.
Homelessness NSW, a leading advocacy body, has warned of an impending crisis this Christmas season.
The organisation reports that one in two people seeking temporary or crisis accommodation are being turned away due to a lack of available resources.
This issue is particularly acute during the holiday season, a time when short-term housing providers face a significant surge in demand.
Temporary accommodation issues loom over vulnerable Australians this holiday season. Image source: wirestock on Freepik.
Dom Rowe, the Chief Executive of Homelessness NSW, explained that the Christmas holidays often exacerbate financial and social pressures within families, leading to an increase in social conflict and domestic violence.
'There can be increased social conflict or conflict within families, where you can see a spike in domestic violence happening,' Ms Rowe said.
'It’s a very difficult time of the year, and you can imagine it’s very scary for those women and children suffering that violence,' she said.
Rowe shared the distressing account of an operator in the Illawarra area who had to reject 11 people seeking her services over a single weekend.
'It’s a sign of something larger that’s happening in NSW,' Ms Rowe added.
In response to this escalating crisis, Homelessness NSW is urging the state government to double the availability of temporary accommodation over the next three years.
This call to action is backed by recent data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which revealed that 68,400 people used a homelessness service in the 2022-23 financial year.
However, 51 per cent of people seeking emergency short-term accommodation were turned away.
The need for increased temporary accommodation is particularly acute in regional areas, where women and children escaping domestic violence often have to travel long distances to find safe and secure accommodation.
Rowe emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating, 'You shouldn’t have to choose between a violent home or being homeless, and supports need to be in place.'
'That’s why we’re suggesting the need to double the amount of temporary accommodation because right now, one in two people don’t have a place to go.'
She feared that those who are turned away may be at risk of 'falling out of the system entirely'.
Other suggestions included increasing temporary accommodation in rural and regional areas and establishing a 20 per cent allocation in those temporary accommodation services solely for women and children who are victims of domestic violence.
Rose Jackson, NSW Minister for Housing and Homelessness, acknowledged the challenges faced by many during the holiday period. She assured that the government is committed to reviewing current initiatives to ensure people can access the support they need throughout the year.
'There are so many people struggling right now, and we want to make sure as many people as possible can access temporary accommodation and aren’t turned away,' Ms Jackson said.
'We know there is no single solution to our housing and homelessness crisis and are committed to addressing this issue from every direction.'
Since taking office in March, the NSW Labor government has implemented several measures to improve access to temporary housing.
These included the removal of the annual 28-day cap for people seeking temporary housing and the extension of the period people are allowed to seek accommodation from two days to seven.
They also increased the cash access limit for people seeking temporary accommodation from $1,000 to $5,000. The limit has also been removed altogether for people escaping domestic and family violence.
However, according to Ms Rowe, despite these measures, demand continued to outstrip supply.
Ms Jackson acknowledged this issue, stating that building more housing, especially in regional areas, is a priority for the government.
'You can’t solve homelessness if you don’t have homes for people to live in,' Ms Jackson argued.
'In [the] last budget, we invested $70 million to help accelerate the delivery of social and affordable homes for primarily regional NSW and put in an extra $11 million urgent funding injection to temporary accommodation to ensure there is even more support for people who need emergency housing.'
What are your thoughts on this issue, members? Let us know in the comments below.
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