Homelessness increasingly being found in older age groups
LONDON: Homelessness is now increasingly being found in older age groups as marriage breakdown, Covid and economic uncertainty coalesce.
Kelly Haggett never thought she would become homeless.
Prior to the COVID pandemic, she and her then-partner both had jobs and lived a nice life in the picturesque town of Robe, in South Australia’s south-east.
Then Ms Haggett’s boss died, and her partner’s work as a chemical engineer dried up as the pandemic led to the shutting down of rigs and mines around Australia.
“Basically we were all independent, had jobs, we had family, we had structure and then it all went to zero, so it was scary,” Ms Haggett recalled.
Ms Haggett, her son, her partner and his two children lived in a car for six weeks, then motels around the South East and, later on, with her parents.
“It was very, very daunting,” she said.
Ac.care provides homelessness services in the South East, as well as the Murraylands and the Riverland.
With rents and home prices rising, chief executive Shane Maddocks says Ms Haggett’s situation has been become more common across regional SA, with more people forced onto the streets.
“Even people who have a house, when they get their new rent rate that’s gone up $100 a week, they just can’t afford it any more, so people are coming to us looking for help,” he said.
“Unfortunately, for some people, that help is a tent or a swag.”
Ms Haggett’s story was shared at Limestone Coast Support Homeless People Luncheon at Mount Gambier on Friday, held for the first time in five years.
More than 400 businesspeople attended the event, which raised almost $130,000 for ac.care.
Mr Maddocks says people can quickly find themselves searching for a roof over their heads following changes in their circumstances.
“People who are really struggling are less resilient and their situations are tenuous,” he said.
“To hear directly from them about how one thing in their life can change that can have a dramatic impact is really important for all of us to hear.”
Premier Peter Malinauskas spoke at the lunch after announcing that land has been purchased in Mount Gambier for four new houses for government workers and up to 40 new public and affordable houses.
Six new public houses have recently been completed and four more are due to be finished in August.
“As a government, we’re investing a lot more in public housing, including here in Mount Gambier, because the need is there,” Mr Malinauskas said.
Paramedic intern Zach Tsantes had a difficult time finding a place to live and said it was great to see more housing for government workers.
“There’s not many options,” Ms Tsantes said.
The state government set up the Office for Regional Housing earlier this year and representatives met with the councils in Bordertown, Naracoorte and Robe, where housing shortages have been the most dire.
Mr Malinauskas said more news about housing in those local government areas may come in the future.
“These challenges aren’t going to go away, but they’re ones we’re committed to,” he said.
Liberal upper house MP Ben Hood said Bordertown, in particular, has been crying out for investment, not just Mount Gambier.
“We need to see that same commitment from the government to be able ensure we’ve got that housing throughout the Limestone Coast,” he said.
Ms Haggett says more housing is needed in Robe, where a large proportion of homes are rented out as Airbnbs but not to long-term workers.
“There’s businesses shutting down because they can’t get workers because there’s nowhere for them to stay,” she said.
Mr Maddocks said any new public housing in the region would help.
“Increasing the supply of public and social housing, which is then more affordable for people, is certainly critical,” he said.
“We can’t rely on the private rental market to meet the demand, so government needs to step in — both state and federal government — to increase the supply.”
