Media release: Budget 2018 must tackle housing and homelessness

07/05/2018

A national alliance of community, housing and homelessness organisations is calling for tomorrow’s Federal Budget to provide urgent relief for 116,000 people who are homeless on any one night in Australia.

The Everybody’s Home campaign is calling for measures to kick start investment in the 500,000 social and affordable Australia needs[1].

“This is the first Budget after really shocking Census data revealed that homelessness in Australia has jumped 14% nationally, 37% in NSW and 22% for people between 19 and 24,” Everybody’s Home campaign spokesperson Kate Colvin said.

“Anglicare’s Rental Affordability Snapshot shows that just 26% of properties Australia wide affordable for a family earning a minimum wage and 1.24% of properties are affordable for an aged pensioner living on their own.

“This Budget needs to act on these appalling figures and provide emergency investment in new social housing to fill the gap in the market that is driving ordinary Australian families into homelessness every week.”

Everybody’s Home is calling for Budgetary measures to:

• Wind back capital gains tax over the next 10 years and develop a National Strategy for providing the shortfall of 500,000 social and affordable homes needed in Australia;
• Continue critical funding from remote Indigenous housing that runs out on June 30;
• Increase funding for homeless help services, so that the 250 people turned away from services every day get the help they need; and
• Increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance to give struggling renters more help to make ends meet in private rental.

The calls comes after Essential Research shows nearly 2 in 3 Australians believe that all major parties are not doing enough to address housing affordability.

“Australians expect governments to step in and fix the broken housing system so it works for everyone, not just those building an investment portfolio – that means relief for the pain Australians are experiencing right across the housing system,” Ms Colvin said.

Media enquiries: Jenny Stokes 0478 504 280

[1]http://116.90.51.65/~everybod/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/EH_researchreport_190418-1.pdf