You Ask the Questions…We Ask the Government

Question 2:

“What do the major parties plan to do to tackle youth homelessness?”

  • Youth homelessness is a pervasive issue in Australia. In 2023 alone, over 52,000 young people sought help for homelessness, with approximately 15,500 of them aged between 15 and 17. Alarmingly, over 31,000 children and young people are turned away from homelessness services each year due to a lack of funding, resources, and capacity within the system (Mission Australia, 2024). 

    This crisis is driven by a complex interplay of structural, systemic, and individual factors. Structural causes include poverty, a shortage of affordable housing, and systemic discrimination. Systemic barriers— such as under-resourced services, insufficient transitional supports for young people leaving institutional care, and a lack of coordinated policy responses, further entrench the issue. At the individual and relational level, family conflict, domestic and family violence, childhood abuse, trauma, unmanaged mental illness, and addiction are significant contributors to young people experiencing homelessness (Youth off the Streets, 2022) . 

    Homelessness among youth is also more varied than commonly understood. It is not limited to sleeping rough. Primary homelessness refers to individuals without conventional shelter, such as those sleeping in parks or cars. Secondary homelessness includes those constantly moving between temporary accommodations, such as friends’ homes or crisis shelters. Tertiary homelessness involves people staying in accommodation that does not provide adequate security or tenure, such as boarding houses (Youth off the Streets, 2022). 

  • The Liberal Party proposes to tackle homelessness by easing housing demand and increasing affordability. Their plan includes a $5 billion investment to deliver 500,000 new homes. To support home ownership, they aim to allow young Australians to access up to $50,000 from their superannuation to purchase their first home. Additionally, the Coalition has pledged $1 billion to support people at risk of homelessness—especially women and children fleeing domestic violence—through targeted housing and support programs. 

    The Albanese Labor Government has committed to a more extensive social housing response. Their $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund will build 55,000 new social and affordable homes. Of this, $100 million is allocated to crisis and transitional housing for women and children escaping family violence. Labor has also committed $67.5 million directly to tackling homelessness, alongside an increase in Commonwealth Rent Assistance to ease housing stress for low-income Australians. 

    Both parties position housing supply and affordability as central to reducing homelessness, though Labor’s approach emphasises long-term public investment in social housing, while the Coalition places more focus on enabling private ownership and economic incentives. 

    • $1 Billion towards crisis accommodation and transitional housing for youth and women with their children leaving violence.  

    • Doubling of Commonwealth homelessness funding to the states and territories (to $400m per year, for the next 5 years) to combat homelessness, provide crisis support, and build and repair social housing.  

    • Raise the rate of income support

    • A need for standalone youth housing and homelessness plan since young people are being constantly overlooked or poorly dealt with in housing and homelessness plan.  

    • AYAC encourages the Australian government to guarantee multiple 'youth seats' on the consumer council to ensure that young people's unique experiences are adequately represented.  

  • Mission Australia (2024) Mission Australia’s Youth Survey Homelessness Report 2024: The Unfair Divide - Valuing Children Initiative 

    Youth Off the Streets (2024) The 2024-2025 Federal Budget and young people

    Youth off the Streets (2022) https://youthoffthestreets.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Facts-about-youth-homelessness-in-Australia.pdf

    Homes for Australia, Labor's Commitment to Affordable Housing, Billions to boost housing and affordability

    We will deliver more affordable housing - Liberal Party of Australia, BREAKING THE CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS - Liberal Party NSW

    AYAC submission on National Housing and Homelessness Plan Bill 2024-08-08

    AYAC et al. (2024) Youth Peak Bodies Australia-wide call on the Government to Raise the Rate https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60948b9e3847ee0caf0e2dd4/t/670c5bd97504a62f06ac26f8/1728863199213/Raise+the+rate+letter_Federal+pre-budget+submission_Jan+25+2024.pdf

Courtesy of ABC News

The Albanese Labor Government has committed to a more extensive social housing response. Their $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund will build 55,000 new social and affordable homes. Of this, $100 million is allocated to crisis and transitional housing for women and children escaping family violence.

Labor has also committed $67.5 million to directly tackle homelessness, alongside increasing Commonwealth Rent Assistance to ease housing stress for low-income Australians.

Courtesy of Liberal Party of Australia

The Liberal Party proposes to tackle homelessness by easing housing demand and increasing affordability. Their plan includes a $5 billion investment to deliver 500,000 new homes. To support home ownership, they aim to allow young Australians to access up to $50,000 from their superannuation to purchase their first home.

Additionally, the Coalition has pledged $1 billion to support people at risk of homelessness—especially women and children fleeing domestic violence—through targeted housing and support programs.