Homelessness
Media and commentary on our work protecting the rights of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and helping people avoid or exit homelessness.
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Policing Public Space: The experiences of people sleeping rough
Years of research has shown that people sleeping rough tend to be over-policed, particularly when they use and enjoy public places. Policies such as The Protocol for Homeless People in Public Places emphasise their rights, but in practice, many feel they are too-often the subject of unfair or unwarranted police attention. Our new report, co-authored with Homelessness NSW, records the experiences…
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Vale AJ, long-time advocate for people experiencing homelessness
We are very sad to announce the passing of AJ, founding member of PIAC’s consumer advisory committee on homelessness, StreetCare. AJ was a tenacious and committed champion for people experiencing homelessness. Through his involvement with StreetCare, he effectively represented their views to the highest levels of government. StreetCare began in 2008 as a grass roots…
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Improving accountability around the treatment of homeless people in public
Appearing before a Parliamentary committee this month, PIAC’s Homeless Persons Legal Service and consumer StreetCare committee have called for amendments to the Protocol for Homeless People in Public Spaces (the Protocol) to ensure that it effectively upholds the principles it seeks to promote and that signatories are accountable. The Protocol was introduced by the NSW…
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Could COVID-19 be a catalyst for positive change?
The NSW Government has taken unprecedented action to address rough sleeping during the COVID-19 crisis. In March, governments responded to the public health risk posed by rough sleepers by swiftly placing hundreds of people in temporary accommodation. The response continues to develop as restrictions begin to ease. Like other services working in homelessness, we say…
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Public forum today: Sector leaders call for urgent measures to end homelessness post COVID-19
Ahead of a lunchtime Zoom forum today, leaders in Sydney’s homelessness sector are calling for urgent action to end homelessness in the wake of the COVID19 crisis. This would include a plan to house rough sleepers long term including greater investment in new social housing and the upgrading of existing stock, which could create over…
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Concerns re policing public health orders
The unprecedented public health orders that have been put place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have the potential to bear particularly harshly on people experiencing homelessness, especially those sleeping rough. We’ve been in contact with the NSW Attorney General and other relevant ministers, to express our concerns about aspects of the new laws. In…
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Man eating kebab on bench among 50 people fined in NSW and Victoria for violating coronavirus laws
From The Guardian: Jonathon Hunyor, the chief executive of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Sydney, said he was concerned about the potential for the laws to be used against vulnerable communities such as the homeless. While orders restricting public movement contain an exemption for homelessness, gatherings do not, something that could have negative consequences…
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HPLS on ABC Radio National’s The Law Report
On this week’s ABC Radio National Law Report hear PIAC’s Maddy Humphries, Roslyn Cook and Damo from StreetCare talking about the criminalisation of homelessness and the impact of COVID-19 on people sleeping rough.
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Early intervention makes a life-changing difference
Speaking at the Homelessness NSW Conference, PIAC’s Maddy Humphreys has emphasised the importance of intervening early to give young people facing homelessness the best chance of building a positive future. Introducing a panel discussion about young people and homelessness, Maddy, who is the StreetCare Project Officer at PIAC’s Homeless Persons’ Legal Service, reflected on her…
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Reducing homelessness: scheme helps 50,000 people out of debt
PIAC’s Homeless Persons’ Legal Service first recommended the Word Development Order Scheme in 2006, to reduce the impact of fines on people who are financially vulnerable.