Homelessness services

Disproportionate levels of homelessness

On Census night in 2021, around 24,900 First Nations people were experiencing homelessness (ABS 2022a, 2023). At the same time, First Nations people represented 3.2% of the Australian population but accounted for 20% of people experiencing homelessness. First Nations people are not only overrepresented among people experiencing homelessness, but also face increased vulnerability to both entering into and experiencing ongoing episodes of homelessness (Scutella et al. 2012). 

A significant driver of these disparities is severe overcrowding, particularly in remote and very remote areas. In 2021, First Nations people were around 13 times as likely to be living in severely overcrowded dwellings as non-Indigenous Australians. About 15,000 First Nations people were living in severely crowded dwellings on Census night (39% of First Nations people experiencing homelessness), predominantly in remote and very remote areas (around 12,400 people). Although living in an overcrowded dwelling is considered a form of homelessness, the measurement currently applied (CNOS; Canadian National Occupancy Standard) is based on Western norms of bedroom occupancy and may not represent the lived experience of First Nations households, as it overlooks cultural practices and family structures of First Nations communities (Dockery et al. 2021).

Pathways into homelessness

The ongoing legacy of colonisation, systematic housing shortages (in both First Nation communities and across the broader housing market) and experiences of spiritual homelessness – marked by a disconnection from land, family, and culture – shape the unique pathways into homelessness experienced by First Nations people (Anderst et al. 2024; Memmott et al. 2012). These factors contribute to patterns of homelessness that differ in important ways from those of non-Indigenous Australians (Spinney et al. 2016; Memmott and Nash 2016).

Without the foundation of a safe, secure, and culturally strong home on Country, structural factors such as poverty, limited access to education, and low income can intersect with individual risk factors including family violence, substance use and unemployment (Habibis 2013; Tually et al. 2022). These factors often co-occur, creating a cycle of disadvantage that contributes to housing instability and broader social inequality (Flatau et al. 2005). Effectively addressing homelessness for First Nations people requires a culturally informed approach – one that acknowledges the importance of identity, self-determination, values and community led solutions.

Pathways out of homelessness 

Creating effective pathways out of homelessness for First Nations people requires culturally safe and appropriate services (Flatau et al. 2022). Evidence shows that providing long-term housing, combined with tailored, context-specific support that is delivered in a way that respects a First Nations person’s culture, circumstances, and needs, has proven effective in achieving housing stability (Moran et al. 2016).

Inquiry and recommendations and Closing the Gap

The House of Representatives Standing Committee Inquiry into Homelessness (HRSC 2021) called for improved data collection methods to more accurately capture homelessness   among First Nations people. The inquiry emphasised the importance of incorporating First Nations cultural practices and perspectives – particularly in determining when those living in severely crowded dwellings and boarding houses should meet the criteria for homelessness. The findings underscored the success of First Nations community-controlled housing services and recommended developing a national, integrated approach to housing and homelessness services for First Nations people. These services are co-designed with First Nations community-controlled organisations and based on the principle of self-determination.

The 2020 National Agreement on Closing the Gap sets a clear target: by 2031, at least 88% of First Nations people should be living in appropriately sized housing (COAG 2022). Housing is one of four sectors identified for joint national sector strengthening plans. The Housing Sector Strengthening Plan, approved by the Joint Council on Closing the Gap on August 26, 2022, is currently in its initial implementation phase (COAG 2022).  

This whole-of-government initiative requires coordinated collaboration between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, and First Nations representatives, aiming to align housing services with First Nations priorities, cultural practices, and needs.

The Housing Policy Partnership establishes a joint approach between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives, ensuring housing policies and investments align with community priorities by building on the strengths, resilience, and self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres strait islander communities. The Partnership addresses the ongoing impacts of colonisation, systemic inequities, and housing access barriers, driving progress toward achieving outcome 9 of the closing the gap agreement.