Homelessness Week Wrap Up

This year’s Homelessness Awareness Week saw the St Vincent de Paul Society of Tasmania host a series of community events across Hobart, Launceston and Burnie to shine a light on the growing homelessness crisis and to call for urgent action. 

Across Tasmania, demand for emergency relief and housing support had surged.

In the past 12 months alone, the Society supported 3,529 families and 19,182 individuals statewide. 

Alarmingly, one in ten clients were experiencing homelessness, with rough sleeping increasing in every region, particularly in the north and north-west.

In Hobart, the Society held a sunrise breakfast in challenging weather conditions at Legacy Park on the Queen’s Domain. Attended by a range of civic leaders, the event featured personal stories from advocates and residents of both Bethlehem House and Amelie House, delivering an insight into the real experience of homelessness, but delivered with optimism around new pathways found through the support of the Society.  

In Launceston, participants gathered at the City Park Rotunda before walking to Royal Park, where community vans provided morning tea, while participants spoke of the increasing impact of housing challenges and better ways to deliver support. 

In Burnie, another high profile walk was held from Oakleigh Park to the foreshore, concluding with a free community BBQ, where local leaders and frontline workers spoke with passion about the urgent need for housing solutions.

Each event carried the theme of Homelessness Action Now, combining thought-provoking guest speakers with opportunities for the community to come together in solidarity and to call for more to be done in the current crisis.

National President Mark Gaetani, who spoke at several of the events, said the lack of accessible and affordable housing was the main driver of homelessness.

“Too many of us are just one life event away from housing stress - losing a job, falling ill, becoming a carer, ending a relationship or experiencing family violence can unexpectedly lead to homelessness,” he said. 

“But every day, we see that with the right support, people can stay housed and rebuild their lives.  The issue we face now is the magnitude of the problem and the fact that homelessness is being experienced in every corner of our state.

“The time for real action to reverse Australia’s homelessness crisis is now,” said Mr Gaetani, calling on intersectoral collaboration to begin acting on this crisis now.

 From food relief and warm clothing, to housing advocacy and budgeting referrals, the Society’s Members continue to respond daily to growing need, but without systemic change, the crisis will only deepen.

Currently, more than 5,000 Tasmanians are on the public housing waitlist, where wait times are averaging 81 weeks. The Society is calling on all governments to fast-track the construction of affordable housing and increase investment in frontline support services.