2049.0 - Census of Population and Housing: Estimating homelessness, 2011
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/03/2013
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FEATURE ARTICLE: A SPOTLIGHT ON 'SEVERE' CROWDING TABLE 1. HOMELESS OPERATIONAL GROUPS, 2001, 2006 and 2011
People living in 'severely' crowded dwellings (i.e. usual residents of dwellings which needed four or more extra bedrooms to accommodate them adequately) have been the largest homeless group in each of the last three Censuses (39% of all homeless persons in 2011) (Table 1). While the total number of people living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings fell slightly between 2001 and 2006, it jumped 31% (or 9,839 people) to 41,370 in 2011 and accounted for most of the rise in homelessness (Table 1). This article uses the ABS Census of Population and Housing to examine the characteristics and circumstances of the two key population groups that comprised the majority of the homeless population living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings in 2011, that is: 1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and persons living with them comprised 51% of persons living in 'severely crowded dwelling); 2. Persons born overseas (persons born overseas and persons living with them comprised 45% of persons living in 'severely crowded dwelling) (Table 2). TABLE 2. 'SEVERELY' CROWDED DWELLINGS, 2001, 2006 and 2011
1) ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples made up 2.5% of the Australian population in 2011. However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians accounted for 25% of all persons who were homeless on Census night in 2011 (26,744). Of those who were classified as homeless, 75% were living in 'severely' crowded dwellings. In 2011, there were 20,055 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in 1,811 'severely' crowded dwellings. On average, there were 12 people per dwelling, a rate that has been steady for the past three Censuses. More than a third of the 'severely' crowded dwellings (34% of dwellings) with one or more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples required six or more extra bedrooms according to the Canadian National Occupancy Standard (Figure 3). FIGURE 3. EXTRA BEDROOMS REQUIRED IN 'SEVERELY' CROWDED DWELLINGS, Dwellings with one or more Indigenous persons, 2011 The majority of 'severely' crowded dwellings with one or more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were located in very remote Australia (71%), based on the 2006 remoteness classification. Only 10% of such dwellings were in major cities. Fifty-seven per cent were located in the Northern Territory, with large proportions also found in Queensland (18%) and Western Australia (14%) (Figure 4). FIGURE 4. REMOTENESS OF 'SEVERELY' CROWDED DWELLINGS, Dwellings with one or more Indigenous persons, 2011 2) PERSONS BORN OVERSEAS The increase in the number and rate of homeless persons born overseas living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings was the major contributor to the overall increase in homelessness between 2006 and 2011. However, increases were also seen in the number of persons in supported accommodation for the homeless and persons staying in boarding houses. In 2011, consistent with the previous two Censuses, there were on average eight people per 'severely' crowded dwelling with one or more persons born overseas. Most 'severely' crowded dwellings with one or more persons born overseas were located in a capital city (89%), mainly Sydney (42%) or Melbourne (28%) (Figure 5). FIGURE 5. LOCATION OF 'SEVERELY' CROWDED DWELLINGS, Dwellings with one or more persons born overseas, 2011 Forty-nine per cent of 'severely' crowded dwellings with one or more persons born overseas were one-family households; 32% were multi-family households; and 19% were group households. The majority of persons living in a ‘severely’ crowded dwelling with one or more persons born overseas were aged less than 35 years (76%), with 31% being aged 18 years or under. Census data (2011) shows that compared to privately occupied dwellings with one or more persons born overseas which were not 'severely' crowded, dwellings with one or more persons born overseas which were 'severely' crowded were more likely to: § be rented (61% compared to 30%); § be multi-family households (32% compared to 3%); and § have lower weekly equivalised household incomes (31% compared to 21% below $400; and 31% compared to 56% at or above $600). In addition, persons in these dwellings were more likely to: § have been born overseas (71% compared to 63%) and to have arrived in Australia within the last 5 years (34% compared to 12%); § have been born in India, Afghanistan, Vietnam or Iraq if born overseas; § be unemployed (8% compared to 4%) or not in the labour force (46% compared to 35%), if eligible to be in the labour force; § be students (45% compared to 26%); and § not speak English well or at all (19% compared to 7%). The following sections provide information on the country of birth and year of arrival for homeless people born overseas living in 'severely' crowded dwellings. Year of arrival Of the 12,990 persons born overseas living in a 'severely' crowded dwelling in 2011, nearly half had arrived within the last five years (48%), and about two-thirds had arrived within the last 10 years (67%) (Figure 6). FIGURE 6. YEAR OF ARRIVAL IN AUSTRALIA, Persons born overseas in 'severely' crowded dwellings, 2011 Persons who arrived in Australia more recently were more likely to be living in a 'severely' crowded dwelling. In 2011, the rate of persons living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings was: § 62 in every 10,000 persons born overseas who arrived in the last five years; § 38 in every 10,000 persons born overseas who arrived between six and 10 years ago; and § 10 in every 10,000 persons born overseas who arrived more than 10 years ago. § 48 in every 10,000 persons born overseas who arrived in the last five years; § 19 in every 10,000 persons born overseas who arrived between six and 10 years ago; and § 7 in every 10,000 persons born overseas who arrived more than 10 years ago. Country of birth In 2011, of the 12,990 persons born overseas living in 'severely' crowded dwellings: 11% were born in India; 10% in New Zealand; 9% in China; 8% in Afghanistan; 8% in Vietnam; 6% in Iraq; and 3% in Nepal. Between 2006 and 2011, the greatest increases were from persons born in these countries, which together accounted for 60% of the increase of persons born overseas living in 'severely' crowded dwellings (Table 7). TABLE 7. PERSONS BORN OVERSEAS LIVING IN 'SEVERELY' CROWDED DWELLINGS, 2006 and 2011
** Includes persons born overseas who did not state their year of arrival to Australia. *** Excludes Special Administrative Regions of China and Taiwan The rates of persons born overseas living in 'severely' crowded dwellings were highest for persons born in Afghanistan, Nepal and Iraq. Persons born in those countries were also much more likely to still be living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings after being in Australia for more than five years. SUMMARY § In 2011, 105,215 people - or 0.5% of the Australian population - were classified as being homeless on Census night (up from 89,728 in 2006). § People in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings have been the largest homeless group in the last three Censuses. § Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people born overseas are over-represented in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings. § The number of people living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings jumped 31% (or 9,839 people) between 2006 and 2011, driven by an almost doubling in the number of ‘severely’ crowded dwellings with one or more persons born overseas. § In 2011, the largest increase for people born overseas living in 'severely' crowded dwellings was from people born in China, New Zealand, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Iraq and Vietnam. Together these countries accounted for 60% of the increase seen between 2006 and 2011. Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.
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