Collaborating with the state government, local government authorities and stakeholders to deliver and obtain better solutions to combat homelessness in Canning will now take place as council passed motion at Tuesday nights council meeting.
City of Canning councillor Sara Saberi submitted a motion requesting the city consider the state government’s 10-year strategy on homelessness in Western Australia and requested chief executive Arthur Kyron to present a report in 2020, which would include a plan to provide a framework, based on research and stakeholder consultation to collectively address and prevent homelessness in the region.
Ms Saberi said she felt so connected with this issue as she has come across homeless people who she wanted to help but had not been equipped with the right tools.
“In my opinion, homelessness is a social justice issue and having adequate housing is a basic human right,” she said.
“The tragic reality is that rough sleepers have a 30-year reduction in their life expectancy.
“We are a very wealthy country where some people miss out, sometimes through no fault of their own, sometimes through bad luck and sometimes through poor decision making.”
Ms Saberi said she was happy that her motion passed even with minor amendments.
“We should take a social determinants approach to prevention to counter homelessness,” she said.
“This means we as a community must deal with underlying problems, such as unemployment, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse and mental health.
“Local government should continue to work with state agencies that focus on core priorities such as housing.
Better housing will deliver better health outcomes, which will equip people to gain and stay in employment.”
