New crisis accommodation data provides vital evidence for government

Data collected in 2005-06 and released today has found that each night, three quarters of families with children who request crisis accommodation are turned away.

The report, released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows that in 2005-06, 356 people were turned away from Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) services on average each day.

This is an increase of around 50 people per day from the previous year.

Couples with children were identified as the group least likely to secure emergency accommodation and women more likely to be turned away than men.

This new data provides vital evidence of the need for urgent action.

The Rudd Government is committed to reducing the number of people turned away from emergency accommodation.

Under our A Place to Call Home policy, $150 million will be provided over five years to build up to 600 additional crisis homes for homeless people.

Kevin Rudd has made housing and homelessness a priority issue for his government.

Labor Members of Parliament have recently witnessed first hand the good work carried out by those helping society’s most marginalised and met people who are being assisted by homeless services.

Labor’s homelessness policies are part of our broader housing affordability and social inclusion agendas.