Rise in homeless sparks national call for action

MORE than 1600 Tasmanians were classified as homeless in 2016 — two years before Hobart’s rental crisis peaked and drove working families to the city’s showground to set up camp.

Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania chief Scott Gadd at the Hobart Showground, where people have been setting up camp after failing to find rental accommodation. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

MORE than 1600 Tasmanians were classified as homeless in 2016 — two years before Hobart’s rental crisis peaked and drove working families to the city’s showground to set up camp.

The latest Census data shows 212 of those classified as homeless at the time were children aged under 12.

The ABS data shows that more than 160 of that homeless population could not be accommodated with emergency services and were sleeping in “impoverished dwellings”, tents or sleeping rough.

Nationally, there was a 13.7 per cent jump in homelessness in the five years between Censuses. That exceeded our population growth of 8 per cent.

One in five people who are homeless are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Mission Australia has recommended a national plan be drawn up to address the issue by 2030 and that it tackle the drivers of homelessness including family violence, poverty and the lack of affordable housing.

The plan also needed to see people rapidly rehoused and supported, Mission Australia said.

The Australian Council of Social Services said rental affordability was at crisis point.

“Inadequate incomes and unaffordable housing are forcing people into homelessness, as shown by today’s figures. Children with their parents, young people, workers, and older people are living in cars, in boarding houses and on other people’s couches,” ACOSS said.