If you are on the brink of homeless or are already homeless, there are ways to get help. Each state has its own organisations. They can help you negotiate with your landlord, find emergency housing or provide a warm meal.
You can find a list of organisations for each state here. There’s also a 24h national helpline for victims of family violence, 1800 RESPECT.
If you prefer speaking in a language other than English, interpreters are available through the Translating and Interpreting Service, and many organisations have bilingual workers.
If you're lucky enough to have a roof over your head, Smith says that the first thing you can do to help is to be kind.
“The most important thing is that people are kind to people experiencing difficulties, and within that kindness, do what they can within their resources. The other really important thing that people need to do is to ask the question, every time they go to a federal, state or local election, ' Does the party I'm voting for have a housing and homelessness policy?' Do the work to make sure the party they want to vote for has that policy or vote for the party that does have that policy."
To find out more about homelessness services around Australia, visit the Homelessness Australia website.
