Down and out? Citizenship, exclusion and homeless persons
Tamara Walsh
Queensland University of Technology
Contact Email:   tamara.walshqut.edu.au

It is widely recognised that homeless persons are amongst the most disadvantaged and vulnerable members of Australian society. But further to this, those who are homeless are excluded from participation in a wide variety of socio-political activities that other citizens take for granted. Homeless persons are routinely denied civil, political and social citizenship rights: they are subjected to over-policing and excessive surveillance, they experience impediments to participating in our democratic society by virtue of their lack of fixed address and reduced access to political information, and their social rights are compromised through the social security breach penalty regime, the inadequacy of public housing and emergency accommodation, and the shortage of social services in areas such as mental health, community health, and advocacy. The denial of citizenship rights to homeless persons results in their systematic exclusion from social life.

This paper will discuss the many aspects of exclusion facing the homeless, highlighting the fact that Australian social policy has been almost devoid of cohesive, holistic strategies to promote the socio-political participation of homeless persons. Suggestions for reform will be made, drawing from international developments, including the establishment of the Social Exclusion Unit in the United Kingdom. The potential for capacity building and the possibility of creating forums for debate to obtain input from disenfranchised persons will also be mooted.

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