Commonwealth Government

To support the implementation of strategies to prevent, reduce and end homelessness, the Commonwealth Government should consider the following recommendations.

Establish a National Housing and Ending Homelessness Plan

Australia needs a national plan on housing and homelessness. Not since the Rudd Government’s ‘The Road Home’ policy have we had this. Ending homelessness must be the ambition, as anything less is unacceptable.

Recommendation 1: A plan to end homelessness

Ensure that ‘ending homelessness’ is the ambition of the new housing and homelessness plan being developed.

Invest in place-based efforts to end homelessness

Recommendation 2: Support new communities

Support the rollout of the Advance to Zero Framework in more local communities through the renegotiation of the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement.

Recommendation 3: Support existing communities

Urgently invest in existing community-led efforts to end homelessness that are utilising the Advance to Zero Framework.

Develop a National Homelessness, Housing and Health Equity Policy

Homelessness needs to be seen as a health issue as much as a housing issue. Integrating health services into homelessness services is crucial.

Recommendation 4: Health equity

Develop a National Homelessness and Health Equity Policy, including dedicated funding through Primary Health Networks to address urgent healthcare needs of people experiencing homelessness.

Establish intergovernmental and interagency coordination mechanisms

Homelessness results from failures in various government service systems. A coordinated effort across all levels of government is necessary.

Recommendation 5: Interagency council

Establish an Interagency Council on Ending Homelessness to support engagement of Commonwealth service delivery agencies relevant to ending homelessness.

Recommendation 6: State government coordination

Require state-based, across-government, and intergovernmental coordination mechanisms as a condition of funding under the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement.

Create permanent supportive housing systems

Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) combines housing with support services to meet the needs of those experiencing chronic homelessness.

Recommendation 7: Unmet need

Commission a review to determine the level of unmet need for supportive housing in Australia and identify what it would take to end chronic rough sleeping homelessness.

Recommendation 8: Growing permanent supportive housing

Establish a Permanent Supportive Housing Growth Fund for capital and services to meet the immediate needs of those experiencing chronic homelessness.

Recommendation 9: Sustaining permanent supportive housing

Support the establishment of a National Permanent Supportive Housing Network to guide the development of local supportive housing systems in Australia.

Close the homelessness gap

Efforts to end homelessness must address systemic racism and improve housing and homelessness outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

Recommendation 10: Grow the ACCO sector

Build the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO) sector, particularly those working to prevent and end homelessness.

Recommendation 11: Improve cultural safety

Establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ending Homelessness Network to improve cultural safety within homelessness response systems.

Establish a National Homelessness Early Intervention Service

Adopt a national prevention service modelled on Finland’s Housing Advisers Prevention program to prevent homelessness before it starts.

Recommendation 12: Prevention

Invest in a National Homelessness Prevention Service, following the Finnish model.

Better support employment pathways, including through social enterprise

Integrate employment services with homelessness support systems to provide more employment pathways, including through social enterprises.

Recommendation 13: Employment pathways

Better integrate employment services and homelessness support systems to provide more employment pathways, including support for social enterprises.

Invest in an Ending Homelessness Flexible Fund

Flexible funding is crucial to support system improvements and innovations needed to reduce homelessness.

Recommendation 14: Flexible fund

Establish an ‘Ending Homelessness Flexible Fund’ to support efforts to reduce homelessness through the Advance to Zero initiative, focusing on prevention and diversion activities.

Address the structural factors driving new homelessness

A credible national housing and ending homelessness plan must address structural factors such as social housing investment and income support.

Recommendation 15: Social housing investment

Increase investment in social housing and income support as part of the national housing and homelessness plan.

The Commonwealth Government must lead the effort to work across systems with a common goal: to end homelessness. This includes addressing factors like child protection systems, outdated drug and alcohol policies, and meeting targets in the Closing the Gap strategy. Sustained engagement and leadership are essential to ensure success.