News

Wesley Mission today welcomed the Federal Opposition’s promise to dedicate $150 million in funding to homeless persons’ services if it wins the upcoming election but warned that more emergency accommodation should be made available to families. 

The CEO of Wesley Mission the Rev Keith Garner said that it was vital that the money be targeted at crisis accommodation, especially for families, and integrated services dealing with homelessness, mental illness and employment opportunities. He called on the Government to match or better the funding. 

“There is currently inadequate crisis accommodation for families,” he said. “If families can’t access crisis accommodation they can’t access the system and that means little or no opportunity to move on to independent living.”  

Wesley Mission was being forced to turn away up to 900 people a year from its emergency accommodation centre – Edward Eagar Lodge – in inner-city, Sydney.  

Up to 150 families a year are declined accommodation at Wesley Mission’s short term accommodation unit at Carlingford– more than 50 families were turned away in the first six months of 2007. 

At Wesley Mission Newcastle 10 families are being turned away each week, families are being forced to live in cars and in local motels. 

“Homelessness does not discriminate: it affects any age group and results largely from family breakdown,  the rental squeeze, rising interest rates or mental illness,” he said. 

“We need an integrated approach so that families have adequate support as they move from crisis accommodation to medium term accommodation, and finally independent living - a one stop shop that provides shelter, life skills and opportunities to re-enter the workforce.”                 

Graeme Cole
Public Affairs Manager
Wesley Mission          
0408 470 722