Child Protection

Homes for all possible

By The Australian Council of Social Service

The Australian Council of Social Service has released a new report Homes for all: A blueprint for Australia.

Releasing the report Andrew McCallum, ACOSS President said:

"Rising interest rates put families under pressure to keep home and hearth together. Sadly, financial and other stresses over Christmas can trigger family break down.

"Now is a good time to reflect on the need for a safety net to ensure all Australians have a home. While much attention is given to first home buyers, there is a very real crisis in housing for poorer Australians.

"There are three big problems to be addressed: homelessness, the cost of renting and public housing.

"The ABS estimates that on any one night 100,000 people are homeless. This is unhealthy and unsafe and is a problem for every suburb and town in Australia.

"Nearly 1 million of the poorest Australians receive Rent Assistance from the Australian Government and over a third of these people spend more than 30% of their income on rent, a shocking 9% spend more than 50% of their income on rent.

"Waiting lists for public housing are a disgrace - in 1991 these totalled 202,349 people and by 2001 the public housing waiting list had grown to 221,313 people. People can wait years for a secure home through public housing.

"With a $4.6 billion surplus the Australian Government can afford to provide a home guarantee for all Australians. The blueprint proposes seven steps to address chronic housing problems:

Improve support for public and community housing
Increase Rent Assistance for the poorest Australians
Improve support for services for homeless people
Improve Indigenous housing
Develop a truly national housing strategy
Establish an affordable housing innovations fund
Address housing tax rorts and distortions

"Current tax breaks for investors have lead to a glut of high cost apartments rather than cheaper, but decent, homes for struggling families. It is possible, and as a community we can afford, to ensure homes for all."

The Homes for all: A blueprint for Australia report is available from www.acoss.org.au

__________________________________________

© 2001 Community & Public Sector Union - State Public Services Federation (CPSU-SPSF) - National Office

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/latest_news/child_protection/20031230_housing.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005