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July 29, 2016 at 10:43 AM

Submissions being accepted on inquiry into homelessness

*From the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse*

The Labour, Green and Māori Parties have launched an inquiry into homelessness. 

This follows Opposition requests for a Parliamentary select committee inquiry being turned down.

The cross party inquiry is inviting submissions on homelessness from all members of the public, including people who experience homelessness and agencies working with them.

Written submissions are being accepted until 12 August 2016. You can make a submission on the website established for the inquiry.

The submission website outlines the terms of the inquiry:

• "Consider whether the official definition of homelessness needs updating, and recommend accordingly.
• Assess the evidence on the current scale of homelessness, whether it is changing and how, and what the causes of that change might be.
• Evaluate possible policy responses to homelessness, including international best practice, and recommend accordingly.
• Consider how homelessness is experienced by different groups in society and evaluate policy responses that respond to that experience. For example, Māori experience of homelessness and Māori-led initiatives to respond
• Hear public submissions and expert evidence, particularly from those directly affected by homelessness and their advocates, and issue a written report."

Oral submissions will initially be heard at four locations: Te Puea Marae in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch. These will be between the end of August and early September. See the website for more details when they are available.

Research and resources: Homelessness and violence

Research shows links between homelessness and violence. Violence is often a major factor contributing to women's homelessness and once homeless, women and their children can be at higher risk of experiencing violence. See the following reports and studies for information about homelessness in New Zealand and information about the links between violence and homelessness.

Forgotten women: A study of women and homelessness in Auckland, New Zealand by Kate Bukowski (2009) 

Finding safety: Provision of specialised domestic violence and refuge services for women who currently find it difficult to access mainstream services: disabled women, older women, sex workers and women with mental illness and/or drug and alcohol problems as a result of domestic violence by Debbie Hager (2011)

Homelessness prevention for women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence: Innovations in policy and practice by Angela Spinney and Sarah Blandy (2011), AHURI Positioning Paper No. 140, Australian Housing and Urban Research Unit

Homelessness in New Zealand: Parliamentary Support Research Papers by the Parliamentary Library (2014)

Briefing to the incoming Minister responsible for Housing New Zealand by Housing New Zealand (2014)

More research and resources can be found in the Clearinghouse library under homelessness.