The Housing in Australia - Report Example

Assessment Item 3 - A Briefing Paper Name Professor Institution Course Date Assessment Item 3 - A Briefing Paper Introduction Housing is one the most debated policies in Australia. While housing policy in Australia has been reviewed over the years, it still disadvantages some groups. A research done by Carson and Kerr (2014, p. 207) held that housing policy in Australia majorly support indigenous community or individuals with a disability. Broussard, Joseph and Thompson (2012, p.170) established that the voices of and views about single mothers who have experienced domestic violence have been overlooked in the social work research, policy debates and in formulation of the interventions. As a result, single mothers, particularly ones who experiences domestic violence have become a vulnerable population with regard to public housing. Therefore, this paper will research on housing policy in Australia in relation to single mothers who have experienced domestic violence (Carson & Kerr 2014, p. 207). To put this research into context, the paper will provide background information of the housing policy and outline the responses about the current policy. The paper will also identify the limitations of the policy and provide recommendations on the policy which might overcome these limitations. Background Information on the Housing Policy in Australia Public housing is one of the key policies Australian government has cited as its key agendas over the years. Zaretzky, Flatau and Brady (2008, p.45) asserted that majority of the public housing was first built in Australia in 1943 when the government first signed Commonwealth State Housing Agreement. The Australian housing policy was integrated in the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement and the key decisions concerning the resources level were largely made by Commonwealth while the ones regarding tenancy criteria, stock acquisition and management were primarily made by the Territories and States (Carson & Kerr 2014, p.214). More of the public housing was built in 1950s, 1960s and1980s particularly in Sydney and Melbourne and were intended to enhance living conditions of residents (Carson & Kerr 2014, p. 46). Most of the public housing plans in Australia were first started to host the soldiers who returned from the Second World War. The soldiers were being housed as a result of the shortage of housing across Australia. Homelessness Task Force (2008, p.7) claimed that the housing policy did not solve the housing problems in Australia and the resistance increased in inner suburban estates. As a result, social housing providers played a crucial role in offering inexpensive housing to the qualified tenants. The government replaced the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement with 2009 National Affordability Housing Agreement with its major goal of ensuring that every Australian can access safe, affordable and sustainable housing as a way of contributing to economic and social participation (Carson & Kerr 2014, p.211). The authors also claimed that housing Policy decisions has normally changed over the years based on existing government policy. For instance, Bostock et al. (2001) opined that individuals with the disability have been hosted within a community and given more priority in the social housing plan compared to other groups. The practice where government prioritize more on people with disability has lead to uproar from other vulnerable groups which in on the rise. One of such group is single mothers who experience domestic violence. A Current Affair (2013) reported that single mothers who delayed paying rent are always ejected from the public housing home with no to go. As it stands now, Department officials hold that there is no policy supporting housing for single mother who have experienced domestic violence. Social welfare experts however, think that policies require to be reviewed to include supportive ones for such vulnerable people within the society. Discussion Current policy responses The current housing policy is too narrow and does not take care of several vulnerable groups. Carson and Kerr (2014, p. 205) held that the existing housing policy largely concentrates on homelessness among the Indigenous community in Australia. However, Bolton (2008) contended that whereas it concentrates on just one group, the housing policy has failed to highlight the plight of single mothers and classify them as one of the vulnerable group who also require urgent in the public housing. The failure of this policy resolve the housing issue of single mothers has made them more vulnerable over the years. Single mothers in Australia have reacted claiming that the policy have exposed them to rental stress, rising family violence, alcohol and drug abuse, poverty, physical and mental health issues (Carson & Kerr 2014, p.214). Single mothers who ran from their homes as a result of domestic violence have several issues to worry about including taking care of the children and concentrating on their businesses or jobs. A Current Affair (2013) posited that sometimes balancing these issues is difficult and they may not get the house rent of time hence could face evictions. In some circumstance, mothers have been forced to stay with their abusive and violent husbands due to lack of enough money to rent public houses (Zufferey 2011, p. 242). Such situation exposes them to further domestic violence from their husbands. Similarly, if they are kicked out of the public houses, they find themselves into the streets with the children, a situation which exposes them to drug abuse and crime (Amster 2008, p.53). Homelessness among single mothers is considered as a critical social problem. Research has found that mothers and children who are homeless suffer from physical and mental health (Tischler 2008, p.243). The physical health arises as a result rooflessness and homelessness. Zufferey (2011, p. 241) explained rooflessness as the state of not having any form of shelter making one to be exposed to rain, dust, cold and physical abuse from criminals. On the other hand, the failure of the policy has made single mother who experience domestic violence homeless-have temporarily shelter. The situation also put the life of single mothers at risk of missing a place to sleep or sleeping rough (Zufferey, 2011, p. 241). The current policy also results to mental health issues on single mothers. These women experience stress due to the fact that they worry about their life and that of their children without a place to call home. The mental health is also caused from stress about poverty. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs consider people without basic need such as house and food are often unsatisfied hence experiences mental stress. In addition, people expect their safety needs such as being free from family violence to be met (Tang, Ibrahim & West, 2002, p.36). If such need is not met people tend to contract a mental illness called Posttraumatic stress disorder. It is believed the increase in number of people with disability might have made the government to concentrate on this group compared to others. The current policy also has gaps which make it hard to implement. For instance, Carson and Kerr (2014, p.214) identified that housing policy differs between different territories and states. Another gap recognized by Carson and Kerr (2014, p. 214) is the poor link between policy areas. In this way, it has always concluded that housing present confusion in terms of roles of the community, public and the indigenous housing. Housing like in many policies is formulated by the federal by expected to be implemented by the states. The differences in terms of needs and resource in various territories and states make it difficult to implement the policy as it formulated by the national government. For instance, some states have high number of homeless single mothers hence high need for social housing compared to others (Singleton 2009, p.111). It means resource cannot be devolved equally to the states to support single mothers in matters of housing. The gaps in the policy means changes are highly needed (Sabrina 2013) to accommodate the challenges of single mothers who have become homeless or roofless as a result of domestic violence. Conclusion and recommendations The Report has found out that Housing is one of the key policies the government of Australia put much interest in. As a result, different governments have reviewed its housing policies in an attempt to provide housing to all its citizens. For instance, the Australian government replaced Commonwealth State Housing Agreement to 2009 National Affordability Housing Agreement in quest of ensuring that every Australia can access safe and affordable housing. Even though Australia has done some much in reducing housing challenges, research shows that its efforts have majorly concentrated on one vulnerable population, which is the people with disabilities living other groups such as single mothers and the elderly in the poor state. The increasing number of homeless single mothers as a result of domestic violence has made this group even worse. Therefore, this report offer various recommendations which can be used to considered in the housing policy in Australia to help solve the problem of homelessness or rooflenesses among single mother experiencing domestic violence. More funding Just like people with disability, single mothers who have experienced domestic violence also need put in housing program to situations of homelessness in Australia. However, this is not to mean that the funds supporting people with disability should be slashed, but rather the government needs to increase funding to cover single mothers. Funding should also be increased in states such as Sydney and Melbourne which have high number single mothers who have experienced domestic violence. Gender equality Zufferey (2011, p.242) claimed that whereas The Road Home (2008) recognizes that domestic violence is the major source of homelessness, less consideration has being given to problems of women’s homelessness and gender inequality. Zufferey (2011, p.242) found that women workers are paid low wages and cannot even afford housing are at danger of becoming homeless. It is even worse for single mothers who have experienced domestic violence because it is very difficult to take care of children and pay rent. Therefore, this report recommends that Australian government ought to review pay policy to create gender equality in wages to enable single mothers afford housing. Reduce domestic violence As a major cause of homelessness among single mothers, one cannot address the challenge without touching on domestic violence (Zufferey 2011, p.242). For that reason battered women’s movement should collaborate with the Australian Government to push for review its policy on how to tackle domestic violence (Meier 1997, p.206). Education as well as prosecution of the perpetrators should highly be encouraged. References A Current Affair 2013, Eviction Fight: It is the eviction fight where the bad guys appear to have won, Viewed 7 October 2016, Amster, R 2008, Lost in space: the criminalization, globalization, and urban ecology of Homelessness, LFB Scholarly Publishing, New York. Bolton, 2008, Homeless and Invisible: The Broken Families, Sydney Morning Herarld, Viewed 14 October 2016, Bostock, L, Gleeson, B, McPherson, A & Pang, L 2001, Deinstitutionalisation and housing futures, AHURI Final Report No. 2, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Limited, Melbourne, Viewed 7 October 2016, Broussard, C.A, Joseph, A.L & Thompson, M 2012, Stressors and Coping Strategies Used by Single Mothers Living in Poverty, Journal of Women and Social Work, vol.27, no.2, pp. 190-204. Cass, B 1998, 'Reshaping housing policy and the benefits of urban/regional location: why gender matters', in M Gatens&A Mackinnon (eds), Gender and institutions: welfare, work, and citizenship, Cambridge University Press, New York, pp. 38-54. Carson, E & Kerr, L 2014, Australian Social Policy and the Human Services, Cambridge Press, Port Melbourne. Homelessness Task Force 2008, The road home: a national approach to reducing homelessness, Australian Government, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Canberra, ACT. Meier, J 1997, Domestic Violence, Character, and Social Change in the Welfare Reform Debate, Law & Policy Vol.19, no.2 pp. 205–263. Sabrina, U 2013, Policy Brief Presentation, Viewed 7 October 2016, Singleton, G 2009, 'The federal system', in Australian political institutions, 9th edn, Pearson Education, Frenchs Forest, NSW, pp. 88-134. Tang, T.L, Ibrahim, A. H & West, W. B 2002, Effects of war-related stress on the satisfaction of human needs: The United States and the Middle East, International Journal of Management Theory and Practices, vol.3, no.1, pp.35–53. Tischler, V 2008, Resettlement and reintegration: single mothers' reflections after homelessness. Community, Work & Family, vol.11, no.3, pp. 243-252. Zaretzky, K, Flatau, P & Brady, M 2008, What is the (net) cost to government of homelessness programs? Australian Journal of Social Issues, vol.43, no.2, pp.231-254. Zufferey, C 2011, 'Homelessness, social policy and social work: a way forward', Australian Social Work, vol. 64, no. 3, pp. 241-244. Read More

For instance, Bostock et al. (2001) opined that individuals with the disability have been hosted within a community and given more priority in the social housing plan compared to other groups. The practice where government prioritize more on people with disability has lead to uproar from other vulnerable groups which in on the rise. One of such group is single mothers who experience domestic violence. A Current Affair (2013) reported that single mothers who delayed paying rent are always ejected from the public housing home with no to go.

As it stands now, Department officials hold that there is no policy supporting housing for single mother who have experienced domestic violence. Social welfare experts however, think that policies require to be reviewed to include supportive ones for such vulnerable people within the society. Discussion Current policy responses The current housing policy is too narrow and does not take care of several vulnerable groups. Carson and Kerr (2014, p. 205) held that the existing housing policy largely concentrates on homelessness among the Indigenous community in Australia.

However, Bolton (2008) contended that whereas it concentrates on just one group, the housing policy has failed to highlight the plight of single mothers and classify them as one of the vulnerable group who also require urgent in the public housing. The failure of this policy resolve the housing issue of single mothers has made them more vulnerable over the years. Single mothers in Australia have reacted claiming that the policy have exposed them to rental stress, rising family violence, alcohol and drug abuse, poverty, physical and mental health issues (Carson & Kerr 2014, p.214). Single mothers who ran from their homes as a result of domestic violence have several issues to worry about including taking care of the children and concentrating on their businesses or jobs.

A Current Affair (2013) posited that sometimes balancing these issues is difficult and they may not get the house rent of time hence could face evictions. In some circumstance, mothers have been forced to stay with their abusive and violent husbands due to lack of enough money to rent public houses (Zufferey 2011, p. 242). Such situation exposes them to further domestic violence from their husbands. Similarly, if they are kicked out of the public houses, they find themselves into the streets with the children, a situation which exposes them to drug abuse and crime (Amster 2008, p.53). Homelessness among single mothers is considered as a critical social problem.

Research has found that mothers and children who are homeless suffer from physical and mental health (Tischler 2008, p.243). The physical health arises as a result rooflessness and homelessness. Zufferey (2011, p. 241) explained rooflessness as the state of not having any form of shelter making one to be exposed to rain, dust, cold and physical abuse from criminals. On the other hand, the failure of the policy has made single mother who experience domestic violence homeless-have temporarily shelter.

The situation also put the life of single mothers at risk of missing a place to sleep or sleeping rough (Zufferey, 2011, p. 241). The current policy also results to mental health issues on single mothers. These women experience stress due to the fact that they worry about their life and that of their children without a place to call home. The mental health is also caused from stress about poverty. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs consider people without basic need such as house and food are often unsatisfied hence experiences mental stress.

In addition, people expect their safety needs such as being free from family violence to be met (Tang, Ibrahim & West, 2002, p.36). If such need is not met people tend to contract a mental illness called Posttraumatic stress disorder. It is believed the increase in number of people with disability might have made the government to concentrate on this group compared to others.

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