1 August 2024
The SA Greens are calling on the new Housing Minister to build more public housing to tackle the state’s homelessness crisis after a damming report from SA’s Auditor-General found that the South Australian Housing Trust (SAHT) has not been effectively managing its provision of homelessness services and the increased demand.
The report assessed whether the South Australian Housing Trust (formerly the SA Housing Authority) effectively manages its provision of specialist homelessness services. It concluded that there are gaps in key areas of performance, increasing the risk that people experiencing or at risk of homelessness will not receive the support they need to obtain sustainable housing. It also found that:
- 71% of specialist homelessness services clients did not have their need for long-term housing met by SAHT and in 2022-23
- Monthly specialist homelessness services clients increased by 9% between 2019-20 and 2022-23, while SA Government funding for these services decreased in real terms.
- At 24 May 2024, there were 16,446 applicants on the South Australian social housing register, including 4,190 category 1 applicants. The average waiting time in category 1 before being housed is seven months.
- Since 2006, there has been a 32% increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness in South Australia
The full report is available here: https://www.audit.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-07/Report%208%20of%202024%20-%20Managing%20homelessness%20services.pdf
“This report is damning of the Malinauskas Government. It demonstrates that they are failing to provide long term housing for people who are homeless and at risk of homelessness. I am shocked and dismayed that 71 per cent of homelessness service clients aren’t getting long term housing. It’s appalling that while the need for homelessness services is on the rise, State Government funding is going backwards. Surely our state can do better than this?” said Greens MLC Robert Simms.
“Just a few weeks ago Labor announced its Housing Roadmap without any plan to build more public housing to tackle the state’s housing crisis. The new Housing Minister Nick Champion must now respond to this report and commit to building the public housing SA desperately needs. It’s clear that the Government is failing our state’s most vulnerable people.”
“Rather than simply reviving the Housing Trust in name or giving more free-kicks to developers, Labor must commit to building the thousands of public homes our state needs and restore the Housing Trust’s original mission,” said Mr Simms.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare the average life expectancy of people experiencing homelessness is 22 to 33 years less than people in secure housing.