The Social Justice Stocktake: A national wake-up call
3 July 2025
Kirthana Mogan – The Salvation Army, Policy and Advocacy Advisor
At The Salvation Army, justice is more than just a value — it is our mission in action. Every day across Australia, we walk alongside individuals and families facing hardship. Increasingly, this hardship is rooted in an urgent crisis that cannot be ignored — the lack of safe, secure and affordable housing.
The Social Justice Stocktake (the Stocktake) is one way we listen to communities, amplify their voices, and advocate for change. In 2024, nearly 16,000 Australians from every federal electorate told us what matters most to them. Their message was clear — housing is the most urgent social justice issue we face today.
One of the most striking outcomes from the Stocktake was the extraordinary consensus among Australians about housing affordability and homelessness as the leading social justice concerns. Across every state and territory — urban, regional, and remote areas alike, 71 per cent of respondents identified housing affordability and homelessness as a top concern in their communities. It was the most commonly identified issue across seven of Australia’s eight jurisdictions and was listed among the top five concerns in every single electorate.
This consensus cuts across political lines and demographics, underscoring that housing stress is no longer a marginal issue, but a national emergency.
Even among respondents who did not identify housing instability in their own lives, the impact of the crisis was felt. Around 35.5 per cent reported to be experiencing housing stress, with many describing the anxiety and heartbreak themselves, as well as that of watching family, friends and neighbours struggle to find a place to live, or remain in one. The contrast between concern for others and personal impact reflects how visible the problem has become.
The last census in 2021 recorded that 122,494 people were facing homelessness on any given night, a number widely expected to rise by the next count. Meanwhile, the shortfall in social housing has grown to 640,000 properties, up by more than 200,000 since we published the first Stocktake in 2021.
These figures are not abstract.
It means more and more people are struggling to keep a roof over their head. People on low incomes, including those earning minimum wage or receiving income support such as Jobseeker and Youth Allowance, are increasingly priced out of the rental market.
When we asked Australians what they wanted from decision-makers, their message was unmistakable — act now! The frustration was raw and widespread.
It was not only about the escalating housing and homelessness crisis, but also about the lack of meaningful political responses. People spoke of feeling ignored, worn down, and deeply concerned about the future.
“This isn’t new, and it shouldn’t be this hard to fix,” said one respondent, echoing the disbelief of many that such a widespread issue remains largely unaddressed. Others warned of the long-term damage being done. “These issues have long-term, often intergenerational implications for a community, leading to a vicious cycle that needs to be broken,” wrote another.
The voices in this year’s Stocktake paint a sobering picture. Australians are watching their neighbours, families and friends fall through the cracks, and they are demanding more than promises. They want decisive, compassionate and meaningful action that breaks the cycle for good.
In Australia, homelessness is deeply gendered, racialised, and structurally entrenched. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are significantly overrepresented in homelessness statistics — a reflection of an ongoing systemic inequality. Children and young people, particularly those leaving out-of-home care, as well as people with disability also face compounding barriers to safe and stable housing.
Family and domestic violence remains one of the leading causes of homelessness in Australia. Women and children experiencing family and domestic violence, as well as older women, are among those at greatest risk. Many victim survivors are forced to flee their homes to escape violence, often with few or no resources, and limited access to alternative safe, long-term accommodation.
The Social Justice Stocktake continues to hear from people across the country who are deeply concerned about the lack of crisis and permanent housing options for victim survivors in these circumstances. Without urgent and sustained investment in affordable housing and wraparound support, impacted families are left at risk of falling through the cracks of a system meant to protect them.
The longer someone experiences homelessness, the greater the impact on their health, wellbeing and future, and the greater the cost to the broader community. Housing instability fuels premature mortality, rising hospital admissions, mental health crises, contact with the justice system and unemployment.
Simply put, there is no social justice without housing justice.
The Salvation Army is using the results of the Social Justice Stocktake and the voices of communities across Australia to further advocate for systemic change. We are calling on governments at all levels to:
- Invest in a bold social housing build program, tailored to community-specific needs
- Embed a Housing First approach
- Raise income support rates above the poverty line for Jobseeker and Youth Allowance
- Commit to long-term planning beyond electoral cycles, and centre the voices of those with lived experience in policymaking
While the sense of urgency has grown, so has the sense of possibility.
Many survey respondents said they felt more hopeful when they knew their voices were being heard. They wanted to be part of the solution. That is why The Salvation Army is committed not only to advocacy but to building a movement for justice, starting with listening.
With our frontline presence across the country, we see the real stories behind the statistics. We work every day with individuals and families whose lives are shaped by housing insecurity. We bring that knowledge, alongside the insights from the Stocktake, into our conversations with decision-makers, communities and sector partners.
As we mark Homelessness Week 2025, our message is clear — Housing is not a privilege. It is a right.
The time has come to stop asking whether we can afford to fix this crisis and start asking whether we can afford not to.