Homelessness
Homelessness can affect anyone. People who are homeless come from all age groups and all cultural backgrounds. Homelessness includes people who are sleeping rough, as well as people staying in temporary, unstable or substandard accommodation. Many people in the homeless cycle are between homelessness and marginal housing.
Homelessness is not only about a lack of housing. The causes are complex and varied – including a shortage of affordable accommodation, domestic violence, unemployment, physical and mental illness, family breakdowns and drug and alcohol abuse.
The Northern Territory has the highest rate of homelessness in Australia at 248 per 10 000 people (ABS 2006 Census). The Australian Government Counting the homeless 2006: Northern Territory report shows that while homeless rates vary dramatically across the Territory, the rate of homelessness in all locations in the Northern Territory vastly exceeds the Australian average of 53 homeless people per 10 000.
Through commitments under the Territory 2030 Strategic Plan and the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, the Territory Government is making significant steps towards reducing homelessness by committing to:
- decreasing the number of homeless by seven per cent by 2013
- decreasing by one third the number of Indigenous Australians who are homeless by one third by 2013
- decreasing the number of rough sleepers by 25 per cent by 2013.
