Liam McNally
Moorabool council is getting ready to conduct a report into the extent of homelessness within the shire, and how it may change over the next decade.
According to the ABS, the number of people considered homeless or marginal in Moorabool increased by 67 per cent between 2016 and 2021, from 115 to 193 people.
Moorabool councillor Moira Berry said she’d heard “shocking” accounts of people turning to sleeping in disabled toilets within the shire.
Moorabool mayor Rod Ward first moved for council to conduct the report at a meeting in September, the wording of which was slightly revised at the October meeting.
Cr Ward said the purpose of the report is to understand the issue in order to investigate how council can collaborate with state and federal governments to address it.
“The purpose is fact finding – we have figures on homelessness and those living marginally over the last few years and given the population growth I thought it may be appropriate to do a projection on the future number of those who may be homeless or living marginal in Moorabool,” he said.
“It does not commit council to any actions. It certainly doesn’t imply and should not imply council has responsibility to address the issue of affordable housing and homelessness in Moorabool, but what has been recognised… is that all levels of government have a role to play in this.”
The final version of the report will include statistical data on those currently considered homeless or marginal, project the expected extent of homelessness in Moorabool into the future, demographic profiles of people living without a home, data about the reasons people are seeking assistance from homelessness services, local information about the housing market drivers of homelessness and provide local examples of non-housing responses to homelessness.
It will also outlines how council can most effectively collaborate with state and federal governments, identify what mechanisms are available to council to reduce homelessness, provide Information on services and assistance that is available to support those people experiencing homelessness and identify how council can best support these organisations and Identify how council can advocate for the provision of additional social and affordable housing options.
