What is Homelessness?

An estimated 100 million people are homeless worldwide(1), approximately 105,000 in Australia(2). According to Australian federal law, homelessness is defined as "inadequate access to safe and secure housing." This occurs when:

• ​available housing is likely to damage the person's health

• threatens the person's safety

• marginalises the person by failing to provide access to adequate personal amenities on the normal economic and social support of a home

• places the person in circumstances that threaten or adversely affect the adequacy, safety, security and affordability of that housing(3)

Homelessness can also be broken down into 3 groups:

• Primary homelessness - is experienced by people without conventional accommodation (e.g. sleeping rough or in improvised dwellings).

• Secondary homelessness - is experienced by people who frequently move from one temporary shelter to another (e.g. emergency accommodation, youth refuges, and “couch surfing").

• Tertiary homelessness - is experienced by people staying in accommodation that falls below minimum community standards (e.g. boarding housing and caravan parks)(4).

The right to not only adequate housing but to health and well-being are fundamental human rights, yet homelessness has become a hot issue for the United Nations with an estimate of more than 100 million homeless and one billion without adequate housing(1). When we look into Australias own backyard, the figures  highlight the inequalities that exist within this rich country of ours. While mining and corporate companies are paying less tax than the average Australian(5) our most vulnerable people are not fairing so well(6). Our government has signed the UN treaty that states their obligations to the disadvantaged(7). Although it appears they are doing something about the situation(8), when we took a closer look at what was happening on the ground level, we were surprised at  who is in danger of becoming homeless. Conditions and restraints on Public Services and Non-Government Organization’s are driving them to crisis support(9).

On this webpage we aim to highlight the injustice of our homeless and the role government plays to provide these adequate services. What we need is legislation and tax reform based on a human rights approach in order to address the issue of homelessness. We urge you to have a look around and if you agree with us that CHANGE needs to take place, then please................................................................. sign our petition!