the largest cohort of people living homeless are women aged 50-65..... women who haven't been able to access enough work to accumulate sufficient superannuation to provide for their retirement. women who are made redundant because businesses, since Abbott's de-regulation of industrial relations and employee terms, have been cut, cut, cutting wages and removing job security.
homelessness is a bigger problem than it was 10 yrs ago. Thanks to reducing supports for the unemployed, those that cannot find work.
the jobseeker terms are now so stringent that many have been removed from the benefit and left without any income at all.
this creates desperation and crime. it seems almost as if the fed Govt wants more people in prisons.
my description isn't all-encompassing though of course, just as your cynical opinion describes only a small proportion of gamblers and drug users, including alcoholics. but most people are reasonable and not inclined to get wasted all the time and no $s to put into pokies.
the first thing all people need is a safe and secure roof over their heads, a safe place to sleep and keep their few possessions.
