Australia's Homelessness Crisis: A Call for Urgent Action and Systemic Change
The recent deaths of 14 rough sleepers in public parks and countryside areas in Australia have brought the country's homelessness crisis into sharp focus. These tragic incidents, including the death of a young international student in Hyde Park, a young homeless mother who died of sepsis in Western Australia, and a newborn baby at a makeshift homeless camp near Wagga beach, have sparked an outpouring of grief and shock.
The analysis of coronial records reveals a disturbing pattern of homelessness deaths in public parks and countryside areas, including riverbanks. Between 2010 and 2020, 54 rough sleepers died in public parks, and 85 homeless Australians died in countryside areas, highlighting the precarious situations that vulnerable rough sleepers find themselves in.
The Guardian's ongoing investigation into homelessness deaths has uncovered systemic failures, including the lack of crisis and social housing, under-resourcing of homelessness services, and gaps in the health system. These failures contribute to a three-decade life expectancy gap between those sleeping rough and the general population.
The social housing waitlist for those in "greatest need" has worsened each year since 2015, with record levels reached in June 2024. The number of people already homeless when they first accessed homelessness services has increased by 11%, and the number of people sleeping rough at the start of support has surged by 25%.
The recent death of a 37-year-old mother and her newborn twin babies in a homeless camp near Wagga beach underscores the urgent need for action. Residents of the camp had nowhere else to go, and the lack of social and emergency housing options is pushing vulnerable rough sleepers into precarious situations.
In Western Australia, Mary Ann Miller, a young Aboriginal mother of seven, died of sepsis on 28 March after being evicted from public housing. She was waiting on housing despite being a victim of alleged family violence.
The death of Bikram Lama in Hyde Park has also highlighted significant gaps in support services for non-residents. His non-resident status effectively denied him a pathway out of homelessness, and authorities are still waiting on a DNA test to officially confirm his identity.
University of Notre Dame professor Lisa Wood, who has led groundbreaking research into homelessness deaths, described the circumstances of these deaths as shocking and a sobering indictment of societal abandonment and systemic failure. She called for housing to be explicitly recognized as a human right with clear statutory obligations to house people who are homeless, similar to the situation in Scotland.
Wood emphasized the need to prioritize immediate accommodation and housing options for the most vulnerable, including pregnant women and those with young children. She urged the Australian government to take urgent action to address the homelessness crisis.
Kate Colvin, Homelessness Australia chief executive, echoed these sentiments, calling for the federal budget to invest more in social housing and homelessness supports to stop the deaths. She highlighted the devastating impact of homelessness on individuals and families, including the loss of a baby, a young mother, and a student.
The federal government's commitment of $10 billion through the Housing Australia Future Fund in 2023 has resulted in the delivery of about 6,000 social and affordable homes since May 2022. However, Colvin argued that the Albanese government needs to keep delivering to meet the enormous unmet need for social homes that has been created by decades of neglect.
The situation in Australia raises deeper questions about the role of governments and society in addressing homelessness. Erin Longbottom, manager of the St Vincent's homeless health nursing unit, wrote in an op-ed that the system's focus on visa status rather than human need is a significant barrier to providing lifesaving care.
In conclusion, the recent deaths of rough sleepers in Australia have brought the country's homelessness crisis into sharp focus, highlighting the urgent need for systemic change. Governments and society must prioritize immediate accommodation and housing options for the most vulnerable, recognizing housing as a fundamental human right. The federal budget must invest more in social housing and homelessness supports to prevent further tragic losses of life.
