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Making sure everyone counts in the Census

There has been a concerted push to record the true number of people experiencing homelessness in the Census.

Staff at the Haymarket Foundation helped residents and other clients to record their data – and to put “none-crisis” when they were asked about their suburb or locality, to adequately represent their status as homeless.

It is believed as many as 20 per cent of people experiencing homelessness were not counted in the 2016 census, which recorded 116,427 people were without a safe, secure place to sleep that night.

It is expected that number will have spiked in 2021, due to the pandemic which has led to an increase in unemployment and rents.

The Census is the only national record of homelessness and data from it is used to plan and fund services such as emergency shelters (including the Haymarket Foundation’s crisis accommodation facility), domestic violence programs and transitional housing.