While discussing the recent expulsion of people sleeping rough outside of Melbourne's iconic Flinders Street Station, the ABC's comedy news program The Weekly with Charlie Pickering cited findings from research led by ISSR's Dr Cameron Parsell that demonstrate providing people with supportive housing is cheaper than leaving them homeless.
"The solution to people needing houses, is houses" the host quipped when discussing the concept of social housing. He went on to share findings from the ISSR research such as that tenants in supportive housing used $13,000 less in government-funded services compared to when they were homeless, including the cost of the housing.
Quoting figures from an article Dr Parsell prepared for The Conversation, Mr Pickering explained that providing supportive housing more than halved criminal offending and the need for mental health services.
He went on to say that all levels of government must work collaboratively to address homelessness, not only improving the situation for the people living on the streets, but reducing the taxpayer burden as well.
You will find The Weekly with Charlie Pickering episode (Series 3 Ep 3) on ABC iView (homelessness feature 5:00-10:43, the section citing the research can be seen at 9:55).
