Victoria housing crisis to receive A$145 million boost

For Gia, finding somewhere safe to live made it possible to escape an abusive marriage. After months of fear, her first night in emergency accommodation brought what she called “a true inch of happiness.” Her experience is now part of the case for a A$145 million federal investment in crisis and transitional housing across Victoria.

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The first night in emergency accommodation was so surreal. It was something I would truly never forget in my life.

The funding will provide 234 additional homes through the Housing Australia Future Fund. The Victorian government, community housing providers and First Nations organisations will direct the construction across Melbourne and regional Victoria, including Greater Geelong, Mildura and Swan Hill. Federal Housing Minister Clare O’Neil is due to unveil the investment.

Gia moved to Australia from India at 24 after an arranged marriage. She said her husband subjected her to multiple forms of abuse, gave her little or no food and threatened to have her deported if she refused demands such as handing over her earnings. He controlled her phone, social media, movements and daily routine.

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After months of fear, it was the first time I felt like a true inch of happiness.

She secretly worked with a support service to plan her departure, then fled with important documents. “Just me being courageous and deciding to leave is not enough in my story even. I needed a place to go,” she said. The new housing is intended to provide that missing place for others escaping violence.

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Just me being courageous and deciding to leave is not enough in my story even. I needed a place to go.

Young people facing homelessness will also benefit. Sienna Sedgmen first became homeless at nearly 16 after family violence and other difficulties. She couch-surfed while attending school before entering crisis accommodation and later finding long-term housing through Youth Foyer, a service that offers a stable home for up to two years. “When I was constantly thinking about where I was going to sleep, there wasn’t really any room to think about who I was going to become,” she said.

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When I was constantly thinking about where I was going to sleep, there wasn’t really any room to think about who I was going to become.