The Dire State of Homelessness in Western Australia
General Statistics
Despite the overall success of Western Australia’s economy and citizens’ well-being, homelessness has been a pressing issue for many decades, severely affecting vulnerable populations. After a decline in the homelessness rate from 53.6 per 10,000 between 2001 and 2016, the proportion has remained roughly the same to date (Seivwright et al., 2021).
Currently, despite ranking the country’s lowest in terms of homelessness rates, Western Australia has the largest percentage of individuals residing in improvised dwellings, tents, and sleeping on the streets, also known as rough sleepers (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023). Rough sleepers, the most affected category of homeless individuals, now account for almost a quarter of the state’s total homelessness population, seeing a drastic increase from 12% in 2016 to 24% in 2021 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023). These numbers clearly demonstrate the urgent need for the government of Western Australia to implement effective solutions.
Measures
Several haphazard and disconnected measures have been taken to address the issue. For instance, the Western Australian government launched a pilot initiative to provide homeless people with hotel accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce associated health risks (Government of Western Australia, 2020). However, the program was cut after the pandemic recession, yielding no significant long-term benefits.
The Cashless Debit Card (CDC) has been introduced in several regions, including Western Australia, to encourage individuals at risk of homelessness to spend their funds on essential services, such as accommodation (Peterie et al., 2020). However, no evidence has so far shown that compulsory income management has any widespread or sustained benefits—either at the individual, family, or community level.
Affected Populations
Indigenous people have traditionally been on the precipice of the issue, experiencing disproportional homelessness rates because of historical and institutional factors. Significant differences in homelessness rates between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people still exist today; this is a persistent problem both nationally and in the region (Carson et al., 2020; Seivwright et al., 2021). Reducing youth homelessness has been given top priority by the Australian government and state agencies (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023).
In Western Australia, the proportion of homeless individuals who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander persons went from 2,618 to 3,378 in 2021, making up 35% of the total population (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023). There were 23.7% more homeless seniors over 55 in 2021 than there were in 2016. The government should move quickly and decisively to solve these serious issues.
In Western Australia, the proportion of homeless adolescents (12–24) makes up around 25% of the total population (28,204 in 2021). However, the rate has decreased from 73 to 71 per 10,000 since 2016 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2023). There are apparent gender differences: young females (homelessness rate of 70 per 10,000) are more likely to be in supported housing or temporarily housed with others, while young males (homelessness rate of 77 to 71 per 10,000) are more likely to live in less stable environments such as tents, boarding houses, overcrowded settings, and improvised dwellings.
Analysis of the Issue
Major Factors and Aspects
Western Australia’s homelessness issue is affected by several major socio-cultural, economic, and ecological factors, some of which have been exacerbated over the last several years. It has been noted that responsibility for poor living conditions and a lack of housing is often placed on the homeless rather than on the government, which fails to provide sufficient housing (Government of Western Australia Department of Communities, 2023). As a result, public and media attention have long refrained from highlighting and discussing the issue, especially how it disproportionately affects particular populations.
While unemployment in Western Australia is currently the lowest among the Australian states and territories, unemployment and underemployment remain concerns (Government of Western Australia, 2022). In 2022-2023, over 145,000 individuals in Western Australia were either under- or unemployed, which greatly affects their well-being and significantly reduces potential housing options (Government of Western Australia Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science, and Innovation, 2023). Though the state’s GDP is expected to grow in 2024‑25, it is unclear whether the unemployment issue will be addressed.
As under- or unemployment leads to diminished income and poverty, other factors come into play. The low incomes of the poorest families adversely affect their ability to afford decent living spaces, particularly due to the extreme lack of available financial resources (Peterie et al., 2020). COVID-19 has also taken a disproportionate toll on the homeless because of a combination of the aforementioned factors.
Statistics demonstrate that homeless people experience extreme health inequalities, with socioeconomic and other factors promoting preventable physical and psychological health problems (Wood, 2020). Having no access to expensive, high-quality healthcare and being forced to live in suboptimal conditions, people with no stable housing are particularly prone to a variety of health conditions.
Environmental factors disproportionately affect those who lack protection from elements and weather conditions. Although housing has remained largely intact as a result of these fires, homeless individuals are at increased risk of adverse health effects from smoke, dust, and other air and water pollutants (Filkov et al., 2020). Bushfires, air pollution, and increased air temperatures due to climate change jeopardize the already unstable food and water security and increase the risk of cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological disorders among the homeless (Teasdale & Panegyres, 2023). In 2019, Western Australia experienced a record-high spring Forest Fire Danger Index level, with the forest fires that swept across the country affecting the local population’s well-being (Filkov et al., 2
Proposed Actions
The two major areas to focus on are:
Increasing the Availability of Social Housing
To achieve this goal, long-term collaborations between the public and private sectors are needed to support investments and manage building projects. The main obstacle is the significant financial outlay required to expand the supply of homes quickly and efficiently. Although this strategy incurs a high financial cost, it offers significant potential reward. In addition to addressing the current housing shortage, increasing construction creates jobs in the sector, boosts community development, and has long-term positive effects on the economy.
Reducing the Under- and Unemployment Rates State-Wide
Large-scale construction initiatives can also be quite important in lowering unemployment. We guarantee a steady supply of competent workers prepared to meet the demands of the labor market by investing in the construction industry, education, and healthcare. It is a risky strategy, though. Ensuring that educational programs and employment activities are properly matched involves a rigorous, continual assessment of job market demands. This project has a high administrative and financial cost and could yield inconsistent outcomes. These projects must be carefully planned and strategically managed to align resources and achieve the desired goals. These proposals are essential for their immediate benefits and potential to foster a more resilient and inclusive economy. I urge the Minister to consider these actions seriously, as they are critical to alleviating current levels of homelessness and preventing future crises.
Current Governmental Actions
Recently, the Western Australian government has begun to approach the issue systematically, launching several initiatives that rely on government action and cooperation with private actors. In early 2022, the Department of Communities established the Office of Homelessness in early 2022 “to focus on stewardship, coordination, strategic planning, and practices relating to homelessness” (Government of Western Australia, 2024a, para. 1).
The main goal of this endeavor was and remains to reduce homelessness rates and mitigate the associated risks through strategic decision-making, effective resource allocation, and engagement of non-governmental entities. The strategy, titled All Paths Lead to a Home, has been deemed a priority for the State Government (Parsell et al., 2022). Several major aspects of the strategy are government-private partnerships, significant financial investments in housing projects, and overall support for vulnerable populations.
The first step in the new strategy was establishing a network of partner agencies to provide the necessary administrative and material resources to achieve the set objectives. Currently, key government and non-government agencies include the Department of Communities, the Office of Homelessness, Housing Choices, and Boorloo Bidee Mia, who have been partnering to promote homelessness protection in Western Australia (Government of Western Australia, 2023). The Department of Communities invests over $100 million in specialist services and programs each year to provide accommodation, essential life needs, and social support for affected individuals (Government of Western Australia, 2024a). This decision is expected to improve the overall well-being of the most vulnerable population, empowering them to gain sufficient economic autonomy.
The administration is working hard to implement affordable housing initiatives. To improve social housing and homelessness services, $2.6 billion is committed over four years (Government of Western Australia, 2024a, para. 7). The goal of this effort is to build 4,000 new homes by early 2024 to address the state’s housing needs and to provide adequate living circumstances for those who are homeless (Government of Western Australia, 2024b). This plan, overseen by organizations such as the Department of Planning, Lands, and Heritage, promotes employment in the construction sector and expands the supply of homes.
Cautionary Notes
While addressing homelessness is crucial for the Western Australian government, deliberate steps must be taken to avoid reputational damage and harm to the affected population. First, decision-makers must ensure that the proposed solutions apply equally to all affected populations to avoid continuing the existing inequalities in housing, healthcare, and overall well-being. It can be achieved by designing a comprehensive transition-period program for homeless individuals receiving housing that would guarantee governmental support in employment, education, and healthcare for a given period.
Second, the government must ensure that the new housing units and blocks seamlessly integrate into the existing infrastructure and that the resettled population socializes properly. This requirement is critical to ensure the long-term success of the project and the well-being of emerging communities.
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Estimating homelessness: Census.
Carson, E., Carson, E., & Kerr, L. (2020). Australian social policy and the human services (3ʳᵈ ed.). Cambridge.
Filkov, A. I., Ngo, T., Matthews, S., Telfer, S., & Penman, T. D. (2020). Impact of Australia’s catastrophic 2019/20 bushfire season on communities and environment. Retrospective analysis and current trends. Journal of Safety Science and Resilience, 1(1), 44-56.
Government of Western Australia. (2024a). Office of Homelessness.
Government of Western Australia. (2024b). Housing diversity pipeline.
Government of Western Australia. (2022). Western Australia State Budget 2021-2022.
Government of Western Australia. (2020). Hotel rooms pilot to protect rough sleepers from COVID-19.
Government of Western Australia Department of Communities (2023). All paths lead to a home: Western Australia’s 10-Year strategy on homelessness 2020–2030.
Government of Western Australia Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation. (2023). Western Australia economic profile – December 2023.
Parsell, C., Clarke, A., & Kuskoff, E. (2022). Understanding responses to homelessness during COVID-19: An examination of Australia. Housing Studies, 38(1), 8-21.
Peterie, M., Bielefeld, S., Marston, G., Mendes, P., & Humpage, L. (2020). Compulsory income management: Combatting or compounding the underlying causes of homelessness? Australian Journal of Social Issues, 55(1), 61-72.
Seivwright, A., Lester, L., Fairthorne, J., Vallesi, S., Callis, Z., & Flatau, P. (2021). Ending homelessness in Western Australia 2021.
Teasdale, N., & Panegyres, P. K. (2023). Climate change in Western Australia and its impact on human health. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 12(100243), 1-9.
Wood, L. J. (2020). Homelessness: The imperative for a public health response. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44(5), 341-345.