A ST Vincent de Paul Society report, Roofs Over Heads, shows continuing high levels of homelessness and says a national housing plan is crucial.
The society’s Queensland president, Tim O’Connor of Brisbane, responding to the report said it was extremely important to Queensland because this state was unique in the fact that people came north for warmth as well as fleeing higher rents in Sydney and Melbourne.
“They are gypsies,” he said, “but not in the romantic sense.”
In Cairns, which he said was the end of the road for these “gypsies”, the society has recently had a substantial increase in appeals for help, seeing up to 30 people a day now.
The new gypsies were using caravan parks and cheap boarding houses.
“Roofs Over Heads stresses the need for state/federal co-operation on homelessness,” Mr O’Connor said.
“It also calls for a substantial increase in public – government – and community housing, which is administered by not-for-profit groups.
“It should be remembered that by overcoming the lack of housing – as a rich country like Australia surely can – there are positive benefits for the whole community,” he said.
