Australia's Homeless Crisis: A Call for Urgent Action and Human Rights Recognition
The recent deaths of 14 rough sleepers in public parks and countryside areas in Australia have sparked widespread concern and a renewed focus on the country's homelessness crisis. These tragic incidents, including the deaths of a young international student, a homeless mother, and a newborn baby, highlight the dire consequences of a lack of social and emergency housing options. The situation is a stark reminder of the systemic failures and societal abandonment that contribute to the premature deaths of those sleeping rough.
The analysis of coronial records reveals a disturbing trend: between 2010 and 2020, 54 rough sleepers died in public parks, and 85 died in countryside areas, including bushland, desert, beaches, and riverbanks. These numbers underscore the urgent need for action to address the underlying issues of homelessness and housing insecurity.
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 have resulted in a three-decade life expectancy gap between those sleeping rough and the general population, emphasizing the dire consequences of inaction.
The social housing waitlist for those in 'greatest need' has been worsening 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%. These statistics paint a grim picture of the growing crisis and the urgent need for more social housing and homelessness supports.
The deaths of Bikram Lama, a young Nepali man sleeping rough near Sydney's St James Station, and Mary Ann Miller, a young Aboriginal mother of seven who died of sepsis after being evicted from public housing, have brought the issue to the forefront. These incidents highlight the devastating impact of non-resident status on access to support services and the urgent need for policy changes.
University of Notre Dame professor Lisa Wood emphasizes the need to recognize housing as a human right with clear statutory obligations. She calls for immediate accommodation and housing options for the most vulnerable, prioritizing pregnant women and those with young children, as is the case in countries like England and Ireland. Wood argues that the current approach of building more homes is insufficient and that a more comprehensive approach is required.
Kate Colvin, Homelessness Australia's chief executive, urges the federal government to invest more in social housing and homelessness supports. She questions how many more people need to die before governments take action, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. The federal government's commitment of $10 billion through the Housing Australia Future Fund in 2023 is a step in the right direction, but the delivery of social and affordable homes has been slow, with only about 6,000 homes delivered since May 2022.
The situation in Australia is a stark reminder of the global homelessness crisis and the need for a human rights-based approach to housing. It calls for a reevaluation of policies and a commitment to prioritizing the most vulnerable members of society. As Erin Longbottom, manager of St Vincent's homeless health nursing unit, aptly states, 'Tomorrow I will encounter another Bikram: unwell, homeless, at risk.' It is a call for action that cannot be ignored.
In conclusion, the recent deaths in Australia serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for action to address the homelessness crisis. It is a call for a comprehensive approach that recognizes housing as a human right, prioritizes the most vulnerable, and ensures that support services are accessible to all, regardless of their visa status. The time for change is now, and the consequences of inaction are too dire to ignore.
