Record homeless figures for March were unveiled, representing a 2.1% increase within the space of a month. Approximately 11,988 people were living in homelessness in March 2022, 3,472 of whom are children.
Labour Senator Mark Wall has criticised the government for "abjectly failing renters", issuing a warning over a potential explosion of people living in homelessness if no measures are put in place.
Senator Wall said: "From the start, all the evidence around the eviction ban pointed to the need to extend its lifetime until Government got to grips with the enormous challenges of supply and affordability in the rental market. Press conferences will not build homes. This Government is abjectly failing renters up and down this country who are living in deep insecurity and uncertainty.
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"Our inboxes are flooded with correspondences from people in dire situations nationwide. Many who have been served eviction notes are scrambling to find alternative accommodation. Indeed, the figures published by the Department don't even account for those living in hidden homelessness, those adult children forced to live in their parents' box room or people who are couch surfing.
"Surely, the sensible thing at this point is to reimplement the eviction ban so Government can prioritise the speedy delivery of housing stock that is so desperately needed. Things are only going to get worse.
"This Government has consistently failed to live up to its own hype. We all accept that it takes time to build a home. But to see the shocking failure to control the controllables and extend the eviction ban to protect renters is nothing short of a disgrace."
