Nearly 27,000 people are homeless in Qld, according to a report released last week by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

“Qld holds an unenviable position – having the 2^nd highest rate of homelessness (behind the NT),” said QCOSS President Karyn Walsh.“The stats show the problem is critical across the board – a 60% increase in people sleeping rough in inner-city Brisbane, a doubling of homelessness in Mackay, and a much higher than average rate of homelessness in older people,” says Karyn.The Qld Council of Social Service (QCOSS) welcomes the recently announcement of $200m by the Commonwealth and State Governments to reduce homelessness in Queensland.  This comes on top of the Queensland Government’s earlier investment which was introduced in 2006. 

"The figures in this report are from the 2006 census, so despite new investment, the problem has been growing.  Our members are telling us there is an even more urgent and dire need now – there are without doubt more homeless people looking for help than these figures show,” said Karyn

Other key statistics in the report include:

·         An increase of 2,200 people in homelessness between 2001 and 2006

·         Overall increase of rough sleepers from 16% to 19%

·         Cairns was the major city (outside of Brisbane) with the highest rate of homelessness

·         At 8%, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were over-represented in the count

·         An increased rate of homelessness in the South-West of the state

The data appears to show some gains from efforts made by workers in the homelessness sector, and from investment from government. For example, Greater Brisbane and the Gold Coast reported increased numbers – but slightly lower rates of homelessness.

“Another report released today by the Social Policy Research Centre (“Still Doing it Tough”) re-iterates our concern that the recent period of prosperity did little for those most in need. Even in times of prosperity (when both these studies were completed) social exclusion and deprivation remained widespread.  The worry is we are now in a very very different climate – and money may not be enough.  We need to build a system based on local community need” said Jill Lang, QCOSS Director.

See AIHW – Counting the Homeless 2006 – http://www.aihw.gov.au/