Data reveals high homelessness rate for north west Victoria

The federal government's Specialist Homelessness Services annual report, released in the past week, revealed the North West had 289.1 clients accessing services per 10,000 people - compared to 108.3 per 10,000 nation-wide.

The rate was higher than other western Victorian centres; with Warrnambool at 238 per 10,000 population, Ballarat at 189.8 per 10,000 population and Bendigo at 182.9 per 10,000 population.

This comes as emergency relief provider Uniting Wimmera reported an increase in the number of clients accessing its services in 2021.

Between July and September 2021 the group assisted 195 emergency relief clients - as opposed to 151 clients in the same period for 2020.

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Uniting senior manager for homelessness Adam Liversage said he was not surprised by the figures - with the organisation seeing a "massive increase" in homelessness during 2021.

In recent months, Mr Liversage said Uniting's homelessness team had seen an influx of rough sleepers in places such as Green Hill Lake in Ararat.

He said the Wimmera was particularly vulnerable to homelessness due to a lack of supports found in larger cities.

"The issue is that there is a gap in the service for rough sleepers and homeless people from Ararat up to Horsham," he said.

"I think what is happening comes down to the lack of housing availability in regional areas.

"Historically, people were able to access the rental market when it was affordable, and people were able to access social housing - but now with the shift that has happened that just does not occur anymore."

Specialist Homelessness Services assisted 278,300 Australians in total across the 2020-21 financial year.

The report found domestic violence played a driving factor in many of the calls for assistance, with 42 per cent of clients reporting they had experienced family or domestic violence.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare spokeswoman Dr Gabrielle Phillips said the people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness were among the most socially and economically disadvantaged people in the county.

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"In 2020-21, the services supported almost 278,300 clients, including 111,100 who were homeless when they presented for help and 144,500 who were at risk of homelessness. The majority of clients were female and 3 in 10 clients were aged under 18," she said.

"More than three quarters of clients who had experienced family and domestic violence were female and 27,300 were male. Around 4 in 10 were experiencing homelessness and 19% were in short term temporary accommodation at the start of support.

"In 2020-21, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continued to be over-represented among SHS clients, with more than one-quarter of clients who provided information on their Indigenous status identifying as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin."

Mr Liversage said the establishment of an Orange Door Hub in Horsham would take a step forward in addressing the link between family violence and homelessness which was found by the report.

"It continues to be a high presentation of those fleeing family violence, especially after the pandemic as well," he said.

"I am looking forward to Orange Door coming to Horsham. It is not going to solve the homelessness issue of those people fleeing family violence and homelessness - but it does mean more supports will be put in place."

He said other social housing projects, such as the Big Housing Build would also help close the gap - however needed other supports such as mental health services if they were to enact sustainable change.

"When families and individuals have long term housing and are properly supported, they can link back into education and employment, which is what we have found," he said.

"That wraparound support is so important, that is what we need.

"It helps people get back on their feet and helps them sustain and maintain tenancies - and stops the revolving door of homelessness."

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