Homelessness in Queensland

Homelessness impacts the whole community, affecting Queenslanders from all social and economic groups.

There is no single cause for homelessness. It can result from natural disasters, economic downturn, unemployment, financial hardship, family breakdown, domestic and family violence, mental illness and substance dependence. People who are unable to obtain or sustain long-term stable housing to end their homelessness become trapped in a chronic cycle, as they move between crisis accommodation and shelters, temporary accommodation, and the streets.

Around 300 people sleep rough in inner-city Brisbane each night. On census night in 2006, more than 26,000 Queenslanders were homeless.

More information about homelessness rates in Queensland is available from the Office of Economic and Statistical Research.

The Australian Government's White Paper on Homelessness, The Road Home, released in December 2008, set a new national strategic approach to homelessness and established two key goals to guide combined efforts by state and federal governments in their long-term response to Australia’s homelessness:

1. Halve overall homelessness by 2020
2. Offer accommodation to all rough sleepers who need it by 2020.

In Queensland, more than $284 million, over five years, has been invested to help people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness through the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness.

The partnership agreement articulates the outcomes aligned to the White Paper’s key goals:

• fewer people will become homeless and fewer of these will sleep rough
• fewer people will become homeless more than once
• people at risk of experiencing homelessness will maintain or improve connections with their families and communities and maintain or improve their education, training or employment participation
• people at risk of or experiencing homelessness will be supported by quality services, with improved access to sustainable housing.

The National Affordable Housing Agreement commenced on 1 January 2009, initiating a whole-of-government approach in tackling the problem of housing affordability.

The National Affordable Housing Agreement provides $6.2 billion worth of housing assistance to low and middle income Australians in the first five years. Through this agreement, the Queensland Government will ensure access to affordable, safe and sustainable housing that contributes to social and economic participation.