Happy New Year!

Well, for some it is.

Unfortunately our sector was hit hard a few days before Christmas when the Community Housing Federation of Australia, Shelter Australia and Homelessness Australia were all defunded by the Federal government. This comes at a time when housing affordability across our nation, and particularly in Sydney, has reached critical levels. Please keep the pressure on our Federal government to listen to the advocacy organisations who actually have well documented and researched ideas about how we can assist the increasing numbers of people living on the margins. The Department of Social Services (DSS) has also been defunding a range of community organisations active in poverty relief and housing assistance. Organisations such as Blacktown Community Aid will be closing their doors soon after 41 years of mostly volunteers assisting domestic violence victims, the homeless and other disadvantaged people in their community. It is hard to believe that all of this comes on the back of the largest mining boom this country has ever seen and we have nothing to show for it.

Last week I visited the House of Welcome, an organisation that ministers to refugees and asylum seekers and that, like Churches Housing, was birthed out of the work of the Ecumenical Council. The House of Welcome’s vision is for a society in which there is full recognition of the dignity, equality, human rights and humanity of all people living in the community no matter their age, gender, sexuality, nationality or religious affiliation, and no matter how they came to be in Australia. They seek to welcome, shelter, and empower asylum seekers and refugees. They aspire to provide client-centred holistic supports that nurture hope, advocate for justice and promote self-reliance, while acknowledging the dignity and championing rights of each individual. They desperately seek access to more housing as there is no government funding assistance available for housing support for asylum seekers. I had the opportunity to speak with some of their clients over a community lunch and was deeply touched by the story of one couple’s flight from a family intent on submitting them to an honour killing, including that of an unborn child. Without the ability to seek asylum, this family of three would have been killed for the daughter’s refusal to marry the much older man selected for her by her family. They are looking for partners, donors, volunteers and items for emergency relief. Check out their website for more information.

Finally, Churches Housing is partnering with the Federation of Housing Associations in putting on the 2015 Community Housing Conference. Please mark the dates May 5-6 in your calendar and we look forward to seeing you there. Check out the website for more information and to register.

Regards,

Magnus Linder
Executive Officer