1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Imagine being homeless at the moment in this cold weather, 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: this cold snap, and I suppose snap it's going to 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: last a few months. Really, we had such a warm 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: autumn all the way through pretty much and it turns 5 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:18,280 Speaker 1: to June and the weather really lets us know that 6 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:23,279 Speaker 1: winter is here. On that Uniting Essay have launched their 7 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: twenty four Winter Appeal and apart from the need to 8 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: raise funds to help people in need, comes with some 9 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: terrible statistics, for instance, that show more people aged sixty 10 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 1: plus than ever, it seems, are homeless at the moment. 11 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: Jen Hall is CEO Uniting SSA, on the line. 12 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 2: Good Jen, good morning Matt, how are you good? 13 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: Thank you? So ten thousand South Australians are a homeless 14 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: and quite a few over the age of sixty. 15 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, that's absolutely right. And Uniting is one of 16 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 2: South Australia's oldest charities. We're one hundred and five years old. 17 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,279 Speaker 2: In the last two years we've seen a sixty percent 18 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 2: jump in our course for assistance, people coming forward needing 19 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 2: homelessness support or emergency relief support. And you know, we're 20 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 2: seeing a new face of homelessness. So everyday people people 21 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,960 Speaker 2: are actually working older people, as you've pointed out, older women, 22 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 2: and we're really bracing for a further increasing demands as 23 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 2: winter continues, and that's why we've launched our Hope Sweet 24 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:39,320 Speaker 2: Hope Winter appeal. And it's an interesting appeal because it's 25 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 2: based on a real situation of a family living in 26 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 2: their car and as you say, it's absolutely freezing out there, 27 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 2: and I think the listeners can probably connect with it. 28 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 2: I know, as I go about my day to day 29 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 2: life in my suburb, sometimes I come across cars and 30 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,559 Speaker 2: I think they've been parked there for a few days. 31 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 2: I wonder what's going on, and you can see that 32 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 2: people are living in that and it just makes you 33 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 2: It really hurts your heart, I think when we see that. 34 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 2: And so we're a grass roots organization and we think 35 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 2: that we can do better, and so we can't do 36 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 2: what we do without the support of the community. And 37 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 2: so far we've had so many wonderful donors and we 38 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 2: really thank them, and people can help, so every dollar 39 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 2: makes a difference and it all goes to people in need, 40 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:27,959 Speaker 2: and they just have to go to the Uniting Essay 41 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 2: website and click on the donate button. It's really easy. 42 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 2: But as you say it's a changing face of homelessness. 43 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: With older women, jen is it Domestic violence is at 44 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 1: the end of a breakdown of a relationship that forces 45 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: them out. 46 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 2: Look, that is very common scenario of people. And you've 47 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 2: got to remember older women have often had a time 48 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 2: out of the workplace where they've been caring for their 49 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 2: children and often caring for older parents, so they haven't 50 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 2: built up a big superannuation savings or buses. And then 51 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 2: all it takes is maybe a health emergency. You know, 52 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: as we know, businesses are doing it tough. Their hours 53 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 2: might have been cut down, and people are only a 54 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 2: couple of steps away from homelessness, particularly if they're experiencing 55 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 2: family violence, and then a rental situation where their rents 56 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 2: might go up. So you know, we know right now 57 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 2: thirty people in the Northwestern region over sixty sleeping rough. 58 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 2: And these are people who've contributed their whole lives, paid taxes, 59 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 2: done all the right things, and they're in this terrible 60 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,799 Speaker 2: situation through no follow their own So. 61 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: The Northwest, we're talking essentially the Port Road corrid or 62 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: either side of that. 63 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, yep, yep, that's right. Yeah, absolutely, So we're really 64 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 2: doing everything that we can to get around people and 65 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 2: provide that practical support. And sometimes you know people who 66 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 2: are just on the cusp of potential homelessness. Just having 67 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 2: a bit of extra funds to pay an electricity bill 68 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 2: or provide the week's groceries, I'll get the kids some 69 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 2: clothes or shoes, can just help avoid homelessness. Now, case 70 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 2: managers work and advocate for people so that we can 71 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 2: avoid that at every cost, and we really can't do 72 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 2: that without the generous support of the community. 73 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: You must see this firsthand, obviously, and in uniting essay 74 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: you talk about the cause, the increase to your cause. 75 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: What do you think of the news yesterday that power 76 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 1: that water bills are going to have to go up? 77 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: It must make you despair? 78 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 2: Well, I think that there's I mean, it's really interesting 79 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: because I think the situation that we're in. No government 80 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 2: can solve it on its own. You know, it's the 81 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 2: whole it's a whole community problem and the whole community responsibility. 82 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 2: So I guess I see it in a holistic way. 83 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 2: And of course I think I'd be concerned about increases 84 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 2: in water rates and impacts on vulnerable people, and I'm 85 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 2: not across all the details of the announcements, but I 86 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 2: can say that plans to increase housing supply and speed 87 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 2: up planning are really welcome and and to be honest, 88 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 2: uniting essay, we've been working with the Malamascus government and 89 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 2: we've been really happy with their get up and go 90 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 2: and their sense of urgency over the last couple of years. 91 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 2: And we've got three apartment buildings that are in the 92 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 2: pipeline and they've actually been terrific to work with. So 93 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 2: I think it's a balanced approach really, and in a crisis, 94 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 2: we just all need to do our part, and that's 95 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 2: why we kind of try to work with practical solutions 96 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 2: on the ground and try to do things that are 97 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 2: a bit innovative. So we actually had a call over 98 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 2: the Christmas break from a couple who actually had bought 99 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 2: a house and they wanted to provide it to us 100 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 2: to rent out as a sharehouse for older women to 101 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 2: avoid homelessness. And that's now functioning beautifully with three women 102 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 2: and one of them's got a dog and they're living 103 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 2: happily together. And you know, these are people who who 104 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 2: felt that they had the financial capability to do it, 105 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 2: and they wanted to make a difference, So we're to 106 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 2: give anything a go. 107 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 1: That's wonderful, that's good to hear. Are there any children 108 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 1: caught up in this in terms of living in cars 109 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: at the moment, They probably are. 110 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: I imagine, Oh, definitely, definitely, Matt. I mean, children unfortunately 111 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 2: make up a large proportion of the homeless population, and 112 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 2: I think particularly when families come forward, they're entitled to 113 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 2: emergency accommodation, so that often means sleeping in a hotel 114 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,359 Speaker 2: room with their children. And we had the scenario in 115 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 2: a case study recently of a woman who has fled 116 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 2: a family violent situation. And originally she fled violence to 117 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 2: Ethiopia with her five children, and she was evicted by 118 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 2: her landlord and she'd just actually given birth to a baby, 119 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 2: and she'd been a good, long term tenant, but the 120 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 2: landlord put up the rent so high that she couldn't 121 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 2: afford it. So she ended up in emergency accommodation and 122 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 2: with five children, unable to cook, she had a bye 123 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 2: sort of pre made meals. You can imagine how hard 124 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 2: that was. So after six months of working with her, 125 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 2: we actually did secure an ongoing lease for her, and 126 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 2: they're just so happy to get their lives back on tracks. So, yes, 127 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 2: there are a lot of children caught up in our 128 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 2: Cristis at the moment. 129 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, just a terrible situation, all right. So you've got 130 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: this appeal running at the moment, and every dollar goes somewhere, 131 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: doesn't it. Ten bucks, a hot meal. 132 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 2: Everything makes a difference. Yes, absolutely, And people just had 133 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 2: over the Uniting Essay website click on the donate now 134 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 2: button and we're very very grateful and appreciative and or 135 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 2: every dollar goes to people in need. 136 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, and that's so important. All right, Jen, thank 137 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: you for your time this morning, and I hope you've 138 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 1: got a good response to it. And just it's pretty 139 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: sad hearing all these stories. I imagine too for older people, 140 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: you know, if they lose their accommodation for whatever reason, 141 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: as you mentioned the lack of super with women and 142 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: older women and for whatever reason, and just trying to 143 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 1: get back into the market at the high prices for 144 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: rent at the moment all but impossible. And if you're 145 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: older without the job, you know, maybe just a pension 146 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: that makes it so much more difficult. 147 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 2: Look, it is really tough, and so we would really 148 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 2: appeal to any landlord and the Real Estate Institute of 149 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 2: SATH Australia. We've written to them to say, look, if 150 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 2: you think that's going to happen for your tenant, please 151 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 2: get in touch with us because we can work with 152 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: people before that happens. And just you know, these are 153 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 2: really proud people who don't want to smind themselves in 154 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 2: this situation. Nobody does, and so they might not come 155 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 2: forward straight away, but we encourage landlords, real estate agents 156 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 2: and their institute to let us know and reach out 157 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 2: and we can genuinely help them. 158 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: Have you had any response to that yet. 159 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 2: Look, we've had the issue picked up with KOSHA, that's 160 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 2: for sure. Kosha do some fantastic work and advocating around 161 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 2: the area of homelessness for older people and we're pretty 162 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 2: positive about their help. And also Minister Cook initiated the 163 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 2: Older Women's Housing and Homelessness Task Force and there's a 164 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 2: whole lot of initiatives that came out of that which 165 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 2: we're on the way to implementing. Of course, we'd like 166 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 2: to see more, but you know we're trying everything we can. 167 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: Okay, Jen, all the best with it over winter. Thank 168 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: you for your time. 169 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 2: Thanks so much. 170 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: Matt Uniting hats Say, launching their appeal their Winter Appeal 171 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 1: for twenty twenty four and as you can hear a 172 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: real need for funding to help people in some pretty 173 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 1: tough situations.