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‘Why aren’t we having this conversation?’: untold story of homelessness

The reasons for homelessness are complex, but the solution could be simple.

WARNING: This story discusses addiction, domestic violence, suicide and self-harm.

By July of 2023 the Federal Budget is estimated to cut almost $40 million from the homelessness sector, amid surging demand for more accessible services.

Chris Cleary, the CEO and founder of non-profit organisation; Street Med Incorporated has provided holistic, street level first aid to Western Sydney’s homeless community since 2014.

Ms Cleary’s lived experience “from the age of eighteen for a few years I was homeless...I had a major drug and alcohol addiction, mental health [issues], I’ve been assaulted” has influenced Street Med’s unique motto – no judgment.

She describes “I’ve been really blessed. All this horrible stuff that has happened has now given me the empathy to help people who are going through it... I get to go out every day and hang with societies most resilient beings. How can you not be inspired by that?”

Credit: Gene Rameriz

Chris Cleary - Credit: Gene Rameriz

Mental Health Crisis

Research from Homeless Hub Australia reveals up to 35% of patrons experiencing homelessness and 75% of women suffer mental illness. More than 25% of this group face concurrent disorders:

“These guys are constantly getting harassed, beat-up…on the verge of suicide, self-harming…there’s a lot of drug and alcohol…which can lead to exacerbated mental health” Cleary explains.

More than 116,000 Australians are homeless - a 14% increase in the last five years. It is predicted these numbers will only increase post-pandemic.

2016 Census data reveals 116 000 Australians are Homeless - Credit: Mission Australia (Twitter)

She says policy makers including Mitchell representative Alex Hawke need to “come out and see what is actually happening, because it is heart breaking.”

Breaking Stigma’s

Cleary reveals domestic violence suffers are at a higher risk of homelessness, with 121,100 people between 2017-18 forced to leave their home.

“One in four men are male victims of domestic violence. But we don’t hear about those figures…why aren’t we having this conversation?”

Cleary alleged “I had a guy… where a girl smashed his jaw with a frying pan”. When he approached the police to file a report, the first thing they said to him was ‘what did you do to provoke it?’

She says, “those mindsets have to change”.

In all of Australia, only one male domestic violence homeless shelter exists. Sheltered By Grace, located in Queensland, was opened in 2021 and holds twenty-four refuge rooms for men – funded by a $97,000 grant from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund.

By Grace founder; Jason Loakes in shelter – Credit: Sheltered by Grace

Cleary reinforces “The wait [for social housing] in Parramatta for a single male is over ten years. There’s nowhere for them to go…”

Funding Black Hole

The Federal Government’s refusal to develop a national homeless strategy, implementing only two of thirty-five recommendations from the bipartisan committee on February 18th 2022 has exacerbated the level of unmet need.

During the pandemic Street Med began providing nightly food services in Parramatta as foodbanks charities shut down during lockdowns. The demand for hot meals bolstered from thirty a night at the beginning of COVID-19 to almost ninety now.

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Street Med functions through the generosity of local volunteers and businesses. Cleary recounts “I love this community. I’ll put a call out on the community page… I’ll have hundreds and hundreds of people…dropping off hot meals.”

With a new Labor government, Ms Cleary holds hopes that “the ivory tower [will] come down to the ground floor” and Albanese will “put his money where his mouth is” - to achieve meaningful policy change.

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