Submission on the National Housing and Homelessness Plan
The St Vincent de Paul Society National Council of Australia advocates for a comprehensive national strategy to address Australia's housing crisis.
The Society emphasises the disproportionate impact of the housing and homelessness crisis on vulnerable groups and recommends needs-based funding models to ensure that access to housing support services is equitable. Other recommendations include reviewing Commonwealth Rent Assistance, implementing national rental standards, and increasing income support payments.
Our submission notes that there is an escalating demand for emergency relief indicating that more streamlined and better funded services are needed to help those seeking help, such as those affected by Family and Domestic Violence, First Nations peoples, or people living with disability.
To address housing and homelessness, the Society stresses the need for more affordable housing, building more social housing, and providing better support services to help prevent homelessness.