Media Release: Concern at growing numbers of homeless people turned away

Mission Australia - one of the largest providers of homeless services in the country - has expressed its concern at new figures which show more than 60% of people who need help from government-funded homeless shelters are turned away each day.

The data, released this morning by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, show that of people needing new and immediate accommodation every day in 2008-09, 62% were unable to be placed.

The AIHW's report also states the group most likely to be turned away were families with an average of 80% of couples with children, 75% of couples without children and 69% of individuals with children who requested new and immediate accommodation turned away each day, compared with 50% of individuals without children.

Mission Australia's Chief Executive, Toby Hall, said the knowledge that the majority were family groups - who would have ended up sleeping rough, in cars, or in other dangerous situations - was cause for significant alarm.

"These figures are one more indication that over decades our country's approach towards helping people out of homelessness has been a failure," said Mr Hall."These numbers - and the tragic individual stories behind them - are shameful. Any level of homelessness in Australia is unacceptable.

"For our society not have the capacity to meet the demand of homeless families is an indictment on our collective values and priorities.

"We also need to recognise that these figures only tell part of the story. For every person fronting up at one of these government-funded services for help there'd be hundreds of others who chose not to - the 'hidden homeless'. I'm thinking of young people couch-surfing temporarily with friends or extended family. Those people don't get counted in this research.

"Knowing this data collection also took place a significant time ago is another reality check. Anecdotally we've seen a significant increase in individuals and families either homeless or at risk of homelessness over the past 18 months.

"Thankfully, we have seen concerted action on behalf of federal and state governments over the past year in regards to tackling homelessness and its many causes - measures that are aimed not only at addressing accommodation capacity but also to cut the flow of people into homelessness and to try and get them on their feet more quickly once they're there.

"But what these figures show us is that homelessness is a problem that's not going to be fixed overnight. It's a reminder that we need to work harder, better and more effectively if we're going to get on top of the problem," said Mr Hall.

Media contact: Paul Andrews (02) 9219 2080 or 0409 665 495