House committee to examine homelessness in Australia

MORE THAN 116,000 people were estimated to be homeless in Australia on Census night in 2016. Among them were people living in severely crowded dwellings, people living in temporary accommodation, and rough sleepers.

To examine this issue, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs has launched an inquiry into homelessness in Australia.

Chair of the committee, Andrew Wallace MP, said the inquiry would seek to understand the factors that contribute to people becoming homeless, identify opportunities to prevent homelessness, and examine ways to better support the homeless and those at risk.

"Sadly, each night in Australia there are tens of thousands of people experiencing homelessness," Mr Wallace said. "We know that there are many pathways that can lead to homelessness, and through this inquiry we are hoping to understand how we can better support those who face it, and help some of the most vulnerable in our community.

"There is a range of services available to support people who are homeless or at risk, and the committee is particularly interested in hearing from communities around Australia about approaches that are working well, and ideas for improvement."

The committee will accept written submissions until April 9, 2020.

Further information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference, is available on the inquiry webpage.

Information about making a submission is available on the Parliament of Australia webpage.

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