New facility to help homeless in Cairns

Published Tuesday, 15 April, 2014 at 11:30 AM

Minister for Housing and Public Works
The Honourable Tim Mander

Efforts to tackle homelessness in Cairns took another step forward with the Queensland Government today announcing the location of a new supported accommodation facility for homeless people.

Housing and Public Works Minister Tim Mander said the development would provide temporary shelter and support to 22 local homeless people and was a key part of the department’s Homelessness to Housing Strategy.

“The Government promised to revitalise frontline services for vulnerable people and housing the homeless is about as frontline as it gets,” Mr Mander said.

“Douglas House on Grafton Street is a site with a long history of supporting people in need, both as a residential rehabilitation facility, and more recently as a Red Cross headquarters.

“Over the coming months, we will invest $750,000 renovating the building to create modern supported accommodation, catering to both men and women, with 24 hour, on-site support to ensure people have the best chance of getting their lives back on track.”

Member for Cairns Gavin King said ongoing support was crucial to providing long-term pathways out of homelessness.

“People become homeless for all sorts of reasons but mental illness, addiction and unemployment are high on that list and those issues don’t just disappear once you have a roof over your head,” Mr King said.

“At Douglas House people will be linked up with the wraparound services they need to overcome those issues.

"This new facility will complement the whole-of-government work of the Cairns Safer Streets Taskforce to address the complex and long-standing issue of rough sleeping."

Local homeless service provider Mission Australia welcomed the announcement of the new facility, which will help address the challenges support services face in assisting people struggling with homelessness in Cairns.

"The Far North has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the state with more than 1,000 people in Cairns alone estimated to be homeless on any given night," Mission Australia Area Manager Phil Flint said.

“For some people, homelessness means sleeping rough on our streets; others are forced to ‘couch-surf’ in the living rooms of relatives and friends, while many homeless families cram into tiny hotel rooms, caravans or their cars as they struggle to put a roof over their heads.

“Addressing homelessness requires a holistic response, including supported accommodation and access to affordable housing, with support services to assist people to turn their lives around.

“The government’s investment in this new supported accommodation facility is a step in the right direction which will improve our ability to help people struggling with homelessness in Cairns.”

The newly renovated Douglas House is expected to be open for business by the end of October.

[ENDS] 15 April 2014

Media contact: Martin Kennedy 0418 891 943