The State Government has opened a new testing site on Bourke Street for Aboriginal people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The government says the program, delivered in partnership with the City of Melbourne and Ngwara Willumbong Aboriginal Corporation, will help more Victorians experiencing homelessness in the CBD receive the support they need under the program. states.
Ngwala will take over the City of Melbourne building at 227 Bourke Street and will provide homeless support services and dedicated Aboriginal homeless entry services.
The site will operate Tuesday through Saturday and will help vulnerable communities access the housing and support services they need.
Ngwara provides a multidisciplinary response that provides professional support to Aboriginal people, based on a self-determination model.
Housing Minister Harriet Singh said the service would address a major gap in the provision of support services.
“This partnership will provide a safe, wrap-around support service in the heart of Melbourne's CBD, ensuring Indigenous people at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness can access a wide range of related services and We will be able to provide safe and supportive care when and where it is needed,'' said Minister Singh.
Although only 0.5 per cent of the CBD's population, up to 15 per cent of people experiencing chronic homelessness identify as Aboriginal.
Mayor Nicholas Rees said the 12-month pilot would establish a key presence and point of contact for Aboriginal people and was “the first of its kind in the CBD”.
Treaty and Indigenous Affairs Minister Natalie Hutchins said Aboriginal Victorians “represent the majority of the homeless population in Melbourne CBD”.
Minister Hutchins said: “If we want to improve outcomes for vulnerable Victorians, including Indigenous communities, it is essential that we have systems of support that are culturally safe and appropriate.”
Ms Ngwala received more than $4.5 million in the 2024/25 Victorian Budget to support an outreach van that operates around the CBD and St Kilda and provides support to people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Funding a range of Aboriginal-specific homelessness programs to sustain homelessness, including; This work depicts the Aboriginal entry point in St Kilda.
The Government provided around $197 million to frontline homelessness services in its latest budget to help more people experiencing homelessness.
