There were 105,237 people experiencing homelessness in Australia on census night in 2011. This equated to 1 in 200 Australians, and represented an increase of 17% from the 2006 census, with the rate of homelessness increasing from 45 per 10,000 to 49 per 10,000 ( 2011 Census).
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People who are homeless in Australia fall into one of six categories. These are improvised dwellings, tents, sleepers out, supported accommodation, people staying with other households, boarding houses, other temporary lodgings, severely overcrowded dwellings. There are many causes of homelessness. The reasons for homelessness are many and varied and each individual's path to homelessness is different and unique. Domestic and family violence equates for 25%, financial difficulty 13%. Some other reasons for homelessness are: addictions, exiting care (foster care system or prison system), and barriers facing refugees, disability, unemployment, lack of support, blacklisting, poverty, and being kicked out of home. Some of the current homeless population in Australia were previously in large-scale residential institutions for the mentally ill. Deinstitutionalisation of people with mental illnesses began in Australia during the 1980s, and most now live in the general community.
I visited the showground in Tenterfield yesterday afternoon and at least one homeless couple were living in a tent given to them by a caring person. As the rain came down last night and this morning, I couldn’t help thinking how cold it would be for them.
There is a saying that goes, “If you have food in your fridge, a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in and clothes to wear you are richer than 75% of the world’s population.” It’s good to be thankful for all that we have.
The Psalms in the Bible are all about thankfulness. Psalm 100 reads: Shout for joy to the Lord, everyone on earth. Worship the Lord with gladness. Come to him with songs of joy. Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him.We are his people.We are the sheep belonging to his flock. Give thanks as you enter the gates of his temple.Give praise as you enter its courtyards. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
Thank you God for all that most of us have in this country of Australia, the best country in the world. And I encourage all of us to spare a thought and a prayer for those less fortunate than ourselves.
