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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-10-18 Daily Xml
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WORLD HOMELESS DAY

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:16): My question is to the Minister for Social Housing. Will the minister please tell the council about the recent World Homeless Day event held here in Adelaide?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:16): I thank the honourable member for his most important question and I will update members opposite about the importance of socialising. Socialising is a very important part of people's lives, particularly those who want to have further social inclusion than what they already have. Connections with community are very important and one should not demean socialisation at all.

World Homeless Day is held on the 10th day of the 10th month each year. It is not so much a celebration, but a recognition of people who find themselves homeless for many different reasons. It provides the opportunity for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness by using the recognition of an international day to facilitate this. Homelessness is often defined as the condition and social category of people who lack housing—unsurprisingly—because they cannot afford it or are otherwise unable to maintain a regular, safe and adequate shelter.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (article 25, paragraph 1) states that everyone has a right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of themselves and their family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care, along with necessary social services and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in a circumstance currently beyond their control. When trying to calculate just how many people in the world are homeless, it is often difficult because the word 'homeless' is interpreted very differently in different countries, and, of course, that is to be expected.

In 2005, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights estimated that more than 100 million people live without adequate shelter or in unhealthy and unacceptable conditions. Additionally, another 100 million have no shelter whatsoever, and the UN commented that the health consequences of this level of homelessness have a profound effect on those experiencing this issue and the health systems required to support them.

While we are not immune to the problem here in Australia, our rate of homelessness is much less compared to other countries around the world. While places like India have up to 25 per cent of their population being classed as homeless, Australia's numbers are less than half of 1 per cent. Despite this low figure, we continue to work towards achieving even lower rates of homelessness in this country. The hidden problem often relates to those people who are couch-surfing with friends or family, and this was the key theme for the Service to Youth Council's event this year in the Rundle Mall, especially when it comes to homelessness amongst young people.

The Service to Youth Council is a not-for-profit organisation established in South Australia in 1958 by volunteers and now has more than 380 staff across South Australia and Victoria. It is committed to helping young people find a safe and affordable place to live that is sustainable.

In 2011-12, the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion provided more than $1.2 million in grant funding across seven discrete services. The Homelessness Strategy, as part of the DCSI division, manages the three largest of these: the Youth Homelessness Gateway (formerly known to many of us as Trace-A-Place), the Eastern Adelaide Youth Homelessness Service and Integrated Housing Exits, which functions through youth justice. All of these are under the banner of HYPA, which stands for Helping Young People Achieve.

HYPA was established in 1995 as a Service to Youth Council initiative and established (initially) six units for homeless youth in the Adelaide CBD. Further recent capital funding from projects such as A Place to Call Home, the Affordable Housing Innovations Fund and the National Partnership Agreement on Social Housing (with the federal government) has assisted in expanding their services. DCSI recently provided $5.5 million to build 32 accommodation units across three sites at Westwood, Smithfield and Munno Para West. HYPA accommodates young people ranging from 17 to 25 years of age who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and aims to assist them to turn their lives around by providing medium-term housing solutions and support.

This week is also Anti-Poverty Week. It has been reported that, potentially, one in eight South Australians live below the poverty line. This figure is higher for those in rural areas, but is also higher for young people who have higher unemployment rates and are generally paid lower wages when they are in employment. While older generations tend to be better educated with their money and have the skills to make it go further, most young people need help and assistance in this area. That is why the work of organisations such HYPA is so important in helping young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness gain some stability through supported housing. The state government is very proud of its partnership with the Service to Youth Council around HYPA accommodation and looks forward to a long involvement with that organisation.

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