ABS census data reveals issues with homelessness figures

All stakeholders agree Queensland is in the grips of a housing crisis with surging homelessness. But a glaring issue with the ABS data tells a different story.

The number of Australians experiencing homelessness rose more than 5 per cent in the five years to 2021, according to the latest census data — but the rate of homeless Queenslanders fell, revealing a glaring issue in the collection of the data.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the rate of homelessness in Queensland fell from 46 people per 10,000 of the state’s population to 44 between 2016 and 2021.

But this trend is at odds with comprehensive research from academics as well as monthly data compiled by more than 1700 specialist homelessness service agencies.

According to government data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, specialist homelessness services reported 14,347 clients in Queensland in December compared to 10,650 clients in June 2017.

Queensland is in the grips of a housing crisis. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Earlier this week, the nation’s leading housing academic Hal Pawson led a wide-ranging research, commissioned by the Queensland Council of Social Services, which revealed the rate of homelessness in Queensland surged by 22 per cent since 2017 — far exceeding the national rise of 8 per cent.

As the ABS notes, the data collected for the census was related to the population breakdown and number of people living under each roof for the night of August 10, 2021.

At that time, Queensland was in the grips of the Indooroopilly cluster which led to a hard lockdown with a number of heavy restrictions across Greater Brisbane. Cairns and the surrounding area was also managing an outbreak and a lockdown.

Therefore, this significantly impacted the collection of the data.

Another contributing factor to the collection of the data was a proactive policy from the Queensland government to provide immediate housing to those living on the streets.

But the peak body for the state’s homelessness sector, Q Shelter, said the ABS data showed a disproportionate increase in regional Queenslanders experiencing homelessness.

The group’s executive director, Fiona Caniglia, said this trend was consistent with struggles reported from members outside of Brisbane.

“Queensland has experienced the highest internal migration of any state in the country,” she said.

“For our regional areas, this has caused increasing pressure on limited support services already unable to meet demand.

“Housing unaffordability in Brisbane and other locations contributes to this pressure, as people are pushed from the capital to historically more affordable regions but are now increasingly less likely to find housing they can afford.”