Category Archive

Winter officially starts this week, and colder weather brings additional hardship for people living without shelter, and people living in hard to heat homes. While it is clear that housing stress and homelessness are continuing to increase across Tasmania, there is a need for bold and ambitious targets to reverse the increasing levels of housing hardship. Read more…

Last week, Tasmanian homelessness services came together at a statewide forum held in Campbell Town. Our thanks to the 50 participants from around the State who attended, and to the CEO of Homes Tasmania, Eleri Morgan-Thomas, for sharing her strategic vision for Homes Tas. A key issue raised by our members at the forum was the increasing level of youth …

Over the last seven months, Shelter Tas’ popular Workforce Development Program has delivered a series of face-to-face training days focusing on trauma informed work practices for the housing and homelessness sector. This training was attended by 121 housing and homelessness practitioners from 24 SHS organisations. Feedback from all sessions was overwhelmingly positive with 100% of participants reporting they would recommend …

Shelter Tas is pleased to advise that the Federal Minister for Housing and Homelessness, the Hon Julie Collins MP, today announced an additional $67.5M for homelessness services nationwide, as part of the one-year extension to the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement. This means the Commonwealth Government has returned to Tasmania the $2M required to cover the costs of the Equal …

Shelter Tas has joined more than 200 organisations in a national campaign led by National Shelter, Homelessness Australia, and the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) – calling on the Federal Government to reverse the $65 million cut to funding for housing and homelessness services. Read more…

There has been some welcome news for our sector this week, with the Tasmanian Government’s confirmation of three years’ funding for the Safe Spaces in Hobart, Burnie and Launceston.  The Safe Spaces are low-barrier shelters that provide pet-friendly emergency accommodation and links to services for Tasmanians in dire need of an overnight stay. Shelter Tas has strongly supported the Safe …

Shelter Tas is highly concerned to learn that the Commonwealth Government intends to stop funding their share of the Equal Remuneration Order (ERO). This is a $2 million cut to the wages of specialist homelessness support workers in Tasmania and over $65 million nationally. Read more…

It’s been a busy start to February, as Shelter Tas continues to work on the Report on Women’s Housing Needs. Together with Hobart Women’s Shelter, and with funding from the State Government, we commissioned Impact Economics to lead the research that will provide invaluable insights into the housing and homelessness issues faced by women and their children, including those escaping …

Once again the housing and homelessness sector is looking forward to another busy year, as the new Homes Tasmania is bedded in, Housing Connect Reform continues, and the Tasmanian Housing Strategy is completed mid-year. Read more…