New data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has revealed a decrease in people returning to homelessness after securing housing.
Minister for Housing and ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾lessness, Julie Collins, said the data showed the importance of increasing the amount of social and affordable housing across the country.
“The Albanese Labor Government has an ambitious housing agenda, which will help tackle the increasing rate of people experiencing homelessness in Australia,” Minister Collins said.
“Safe and affordable housing is central to the security and dignity of all Australians.”
The data also showed an increase in the number of people experiencing persistent homelessness.
“We are committed to addressing the issues raised by AIHW,” Minister Collins said.
“We’ve acted quickly by unlocking up to $575 million through the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Housing Infrastructure Facility to invest in social and affordable housing. This will support our commitment to build 30,000 new social and affordable housing properties through the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund.”
In addition, the Fund will support acute housing needs for women and children leaving family and domestic violence and older women and veterans who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
The establishment of a ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Housing Supply and Affordability Council, and a new ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Housing and ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾lessness Plan will lay the foundations for the Government’s ambitious housing reform agenda.
One of the goals of the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Housing and ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾lessness Plan will be to identify ways to improve outcomes for Australians at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.
“Through a coordinated approach in partnership with state and territory governments, we want to make inroads to ensuring all Australians can more easily access safe, affordable housing,” Minister Collins said.
“No tier of government alone can solve the serious housing challenges left to us by almost a decade of inaction by the former Coalition government.
“Following two very productive meetings with state and territory Housing Ministers, governments have pledged to work together to make a difference to the lives of vulnerable Australians.”
The report is available on the AIHW .
