At the last census, there were more than 116 00 people with no permanent home in the country.
Since 2011, the number of homeless people has grown by 14 per cent.
And with no clear national plan to fight homelessness and a lack of affordable housing, there's no sign of things getting better.
There are a few reasons why the homelessness numbers are rising around the country, but the lack of affordable housing is the most obvious one.
Jenny Smith is the CEO of the Council to Homeless Persons and the Chair of Homelessness Australia.
She explains that Australia doesn't have a national plan to tackle housing affordability.
“We don't have any plan for the government to intervene to make sure that there is housing for people on lower income. We expect the market to take care of it, but we've just had 30 to 40 years of unparalleled prosperity in our country and the market hasn't taken care of it. Governments have gotten out of the business of providing social housing and until they get back in the business of doing that, we will see homelessness continue to increase, and to increase more quickly."
She says it's important for people to understand that issues like family violence and housing affordability cause homelessness, not individual vulnerabilities.
Dr. Evelyne Tadros is Mission Australia state leader for New South Wales.
When we look at the numbers, we can see that migrants are disproportionately affected by homelessness.
Evelyne Tadros says that on top of having trouble finding affordable housing, they face additional challenges.
"They can face additional stresses when settling in Australia, including adjustment to language, culture and education. Some of them might have a lack of understanding of tenancy rights and risk exploitation by landlords.”
If you are on the brink of homeless or are already homeless, there are ways to get help.
Organisations can help you negotiate with your landlord, find emergency housing and provide a warm meal.
Each state will have its own system.
If you'd prefer speaking in a language other than English, Evelyne Tadros says that bilingual workers and interpreters are available.
If you're lucky enough to have a roof over your head, Jenny Smith says that the first thing you can do to help is to be kind.
The second series of Filthy Rich and Homeless airs over three nights – Tuesday 14, Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 August on SBS from 8.30pm. A special live studio program will air directly after episode three.
Filthy Rich & Homeless is an honest and compassionate exploration of what it’s like to be homeless in Australia today as it shines a light on a part of our society often overlooked and ignored.
