With over an estimated 9,000 people in WA experiencing homelessness, Foodbank WA, in partnership with the City of Canning, hosted a Foodbank Drive for the third consecutive year during Homelessness Week 2024.
The initiative has now collected over 1,000 kg of food and essential items, demonstrating Canning resident’s strong commitment to supporting those in need.
Through local charities and service providers, the city has also distributed over 500 blankets and sleeping bags collected through two Winter Blanket Drives.
According to Foodbank’s 2023 Hunger Report, 388,000 households in Western Australia experienced hunger in the past year, with 120,000 children living in food-insecure homes.
As those struggling with food insecurity are often more likely to face housing instability, the City of Canning has also addressed homelessness through key initiatives and local efforts, such as the Freo Street Doctor service and support hubs in Bentley and Cannington.
With three core focus areas, connect, support, and advocate, the council’s new Homelessness Action Plan is available for comment on the City’s Your Say page until this Sunday.
Mayor Patrick Hall said he hopes the new framework will help those most in need.
“Recognising the need for greater agility and responsiveness, we’ve moved from a static four-year plan to a flexible overarching plan with annual updates,” Mayor Hall said.
“This approach ensures we can swiftly adapt to emerging community needs and keep our initiatives impactful and relevant.”
To end homelessness in WA, Shelter WA, the peak body for community housing and homelessness, is calling for immediate action from the government.
This includes rapidly introducing 2,000 granny flats and tiny homes on government land, expanding support services, reforming rental laws to end no-grounds evictions, increasing affordable rental supply, and regulating short-term rentals, which currently exceed private rentals in the state.
Speaking during Homelessness Week earlier this month, Shelter WA CEO Kath Snell said it was promising the State government had committed to many goals required to end homelessness, but greater progress from both sides and levels of government is urgently needed.
“Ending and preventing homelessness is completely within reach; we just need actions that match the goals and for leaders to act now with urgency,” – Kath Snell.
“Housing affordability and stability will likely be one of the most defining issues of the WA election; voters want and need the current and future government of our state to take bigger steps to fix the systemic causes of homelessness.
In collaboration with the Rotary Club, the City of Canning is currently hosting a photographic exhibition at Cannington Library this week until Sunday 25, featuring 20 portraits of WA’s homeless by the late Perth photographer Phil England, each accompanied by a summary of their personal stories.
“While this may be confronting for some, it powerfully conveys the profound challenges they face,” Mayor Patrick Hall said.
“These portraits compel us to confront the realities of life on the street. Every person who has experienced homelessness has a story, and together, with a concerted effort, we have the power to create meaningful change.”
State Housing Minister John Carey said government support for the most vulnerable is continuing to increase, and the long-awaited housing development in Bentley is underway as tenders are now out for remediation works on the site.
“Across the metropolitan area, which includes Cannington, this financial year alone the State Government is investing more than $105 million across 130 homelessness services, providing supported accommodation and intensive wrap-around support for those experiencing homelessness,” Minister Carey said.
“The Bentley Redevelopment Area was established in May 2024, and DevelopmentWA is preparing the site for future development and developing an updated planning framework and Master Plan for the project, which will be released for public comment. [This] will provide a major boost to the long-term housing supply of Perth.”
If you are experiencing or facing homelessness, help is available, contact Entrypoint WA at 1800 124 684 or Crisis Care at 1800 199 008 for support and assistance.
