Homelessness Legal Rights Project

Past project

The Homelessness Legal Rights Project concluded in January 2008.

Homelessness is a major human rights issue for Australia, with an estimated 100,000 people experiencing some level of homelessness at any given time. The Homelessness Legal Rights Project aimed to disseminate the growing body of knowledge about the legal and human rights of people facing homelessness and how people might use the law as a tool for change. The Project had a focus on both domestic and international law, particularly international human rights law. Each source of law was seen as a potential resource for people in their advocacy and social justice endeavours.

The Project had a number of components. The Project administered the Homelessness, Human Rights and the Law Email List and published the Homelessness, Human Rights and the Law Resource Bulletin. The Resource Bulletin provided updates on programs and services, campaigns and advocacy initiatives, research and publications, case-law and international developments.

In addition, the Project maintained the Homelessness, Human Rights and the Law Resource Page and, within available resources, provided Campaign and Research Support to a range of local, regional and national initiatives.

The Project was a collaborative endeavour. It’s Project Partner was the Public Interest Law Clearing House Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic based in Melbourne, Victoria. In addition, the Project had a broad-based Advisory Group to assist the Management Group for the Project.

Funded by the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law and the Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales, with in kind contributions from key supporters, the Project commenced its pilot phase in July 2003.

The Homelessness, Human Rights and the Law Email List is an outcome of the 2003 National Homelessness Conference held in Brisbane, Australia from 6-8 April 2003. The List is an initiative of the Homelessness Legal Rights Project in conjunction with the Public Interest Law Clearing House Homeless Persons

The Homelessness, Human Rights and the Law Resource Bulletin is published by the Homelessness Legal Rights Project with funding support from the Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales. It provides updates on programs and events, campaigns and advocacy, publications, research and international news.

Current Edition

Resource Bulletin No 13 - December 2006

Past Editions

Resource Bulletin No 12 - September 2006

Resource Bulletin No 11 - July 2006

Resource Bulletin No 10 - March 2006

Resource Bulletin No 9 - January 2006

Resource Bulletin No 8 - October 2005

Resource Bulletin No 7 - September 2005

Resource Bulletin No 6 - March 2004

Resource Bulletin No 5 - January 2004

Resource Bulletin No 4 - October 2003

Resource Bulletin No 3 - September 2003

Resource Bulletin No 2 - August 2003

Resource Bulletin No 1 - July 2003

To receive the Resource Bulletin direct, join the Homelessness, Human Rights and the Law Email List.

The Resource Bulletin is also posted to the National Noticeboard of the Australian National Association of Community Legal Centres and the Community Housing Information Reference Services of Infoxchange Australia.

The Homelessness Legal Rights Project provides support within available to resources to campaign and research initiatives that promote the human rights of people facing homelessness. Examples include:

Homelessness Peoples Association

The Homeless People's Association is a grass-roots community group formed by people who have experienced homelessness, based in Melbourne, Australia. You are encouraged to find out more about this important organisation. In 2003, the Homelessness Legal Rights Project provided endorsement for the fund-raising efforts of the HPA .

Longgrass Association Annual ‘Freedom to Sleep' and CD Launch

'Longgrass people are mainly Aboriginal family groups living in bush areas throughout the Darwin region. There can be up to 1000 people, including old people, young adults and children camping out on any given night in the Darwin area. Many have disabilities and health problems, alcohol/drug problems and mental health problems underpinned by long term poverty.

Longgrass Association is an informal network of Longgrass people, their families and friends that gives a voice to the hundreds of voiceless individuals and family groups that live in the Longgrass either by choice or by circumstance. The Association promotes the human rights of Longgrass people to be treated with the same dignity and respect as other community members. This includes the right to access to water, adequate and appropriate shelter and the inalienable right to practice cultural obligations and ways of living.' (Extract from Longrass LIVE CD)

‘Freedom to Sleep' is an annual event that draws attention to the harassment, criminalisation of the lifestyle, racism and human rights abuses of Longrass people.

The Longgrass Association has launched the Longgrass LIVE CD as an awareness-raising and funding-raising initiative. Inspired by the 2002 Freedom to Sleep concert, the CD is a compilation of 16 original songs about living in the Longgrass from mostly Longgrass people.

You can purchase copies of Longgrass LIVE by contacting Stella Simmering or the Director of the Homelessness Legal Rights Project. Price: $25 including postage.

The Director of the Homelessness Legal Rights Project has published several articles dealing with the impact of the Darwin City Council By-Laws on Longgrass people who live in public space in the Darwin area. On 3 October 2003, the Director presented to the Northern Territory Social Policy Forum in Darwin on “Living in Public Space and Human Rights.' On 7 November 2003, the Director addressed the Longgrass Freedom to Sleep Protest Concert held in Darwin by the Longgrass Association.

New South Wales Boarders and Lodgers Action Group (BLAG) Campaign

The Homelessness Legal Rights Project supports the New South Wales Boarders and Lodgers Campaign.

The New South Wales Boarders and Lodgers Action Group (BLAG) is conducting a campaign for legislative reform to provide protection for people who live in boarding and lodging situations. Currently boarders and lodgers do not have statutory legal rights. The lack of legal protection makes boarders and lodgers vulnerable to homelessness.

The BLAG is a coalition of concerned workers from a number of community and church groups, tenancy services, community legal centres and local government councils, committed to social justice and the human right to housing.

Contact the Boarders and Lodgers Action Group for details:

Indi Evans: 9516 4755
Vanessa Whittington: 8267 4397
In November 2003, the Homelessness Legal Rights Project contributed to the preparation of a Joint Submission to the National Supported Accommodation Assistance Program IV Evaluation.

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and Drug Use Campaign

The Federal Government has introduced a Bill to amend the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. If passed, the amendment would make it lawful to discriminate against people who have a drug addiction in areas such as housing and employment. Discrimination would be lawful regardless of whether the person's addiction had any impact on a person's ability to comply with their tenancy obligations or to carry out the job. If passed, the Bill could have serious implications for people with a drug addition who are currently homeless.

The Senate has referred the Bill to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee for Inquiry and report by 25 March 2004. Submissions to the Inquiry were due by 9 February 2004. The Homelessness Legal Rights Project has endorsed the PILCH Homeless Persons Legal Clinic's Submission.

The homepage for the Senate Inquiry.

For background materials, go to: http://www.disabilitydiscrimination.info/pages/1/index.htm : a national webpage set up on this issue which brings together information and campaign materials;

See also PILCH Homeless Persons Legal Clinic. The Clinic is coordinating a campaign against the Bill in conjunction with the Disability Discrimination Legal Service in Victoria. Click on 'Drug Addition and Disability Discrimination' in the 'What's New' Section.

Research Support

The Homelessness Legal Rights Project provides advice and support to research initiatives and organisations such as the Legal Needs of Homeless People Research Project of the Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre/Public Interest Law Clearing House Homeless Project in Sydney and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

Please contact the Director if you would like to discuss possibilities for support and collaboration.

Management Group

The Management Group for the Homelessness Legal Rights Project has responsibility for the progress of the Project.

Cassandra Goldie, Visiting Fellow and Director, Homelessness Legal Rights Project, Faculty of Law, UNSW

George Williams, Professor and Director, Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, UNSW

Phil Lynch, Coordinator, PILCH Homeless Persons Legal Clinic, Melbourne, Victoria

Advisory Group

The Homelessness Legal Rights Project has established a broad based Advisory Group to provide ongoing input to resource development, particularly the Homelessness, Human Rights and the Law Resource Bulletin, and to build networks amongst people committed to promoting the legal and human rights of people experiencing homelessness, including membership to the Homelessness, Human Rights and the Law Email List.

Alison Aggarwal

Andrea Durbach, Associate Professor, Australian Human Rights Centre, UNSW

Livia Carusi, CEO, Financial and Consumer Rights Council, Victoria

Brendan Edgeworth, University of New South Wales

Ken Fernandes, Coordinator, Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions

Emma Golledge, Coordinator, Homeless Persons Legal Centre, New South Wales

Anne Gosley, Secretary, Homeless People’s Association, Victoria

Malcolm Langford, Senior Legal Officer, Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions

Bill Mallanack, Welfare Rights Centre, South Australia

Rivkah Nissim, Poverty and Rights Policy Analyst, Victorian Council of Social Services

Dianne Otto, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Melbourne, Victoria

Michele Slatter, Senior Lecturer, Flinders University, South Australia

Monica Taylor, Coordinator, Homeless Persons Legal Clinic, Queensland

Tamara Walsh, Lecturer, University of Queensland

More detailed background information regarding Advisory Group members is may be downloaded here.