Australia’s homelessness crisis: Tragic story behind this Landcruiser parked outside a men’s shelter in the Adelaide CBD
An elderly homeless man has died while sleeping in his car outside a men’s homeless shelter after overnight temperatures dropped.
Dominic, in his 80s, was found dead early on Sunday morning in his white Landcruiser parked outside St Vincent’s Men’s Crisis Centre in Adelaide’s CBD.
His devastated friends believe Dominic succumbed to the chilling temperatures, which dropped to 3 degrees Celsius overnight.
Shocked shelter staff described Dominic as a friendly man who kept to himself.
“You know, I actually got tears in my eyes, because he was a very polite man,” Thomas Gaye said 7 News
“He comes here and sleeps in his car. He can go in there, but you know, he stays to himself, like a lot of guys do.”
It is understood that Dominic, who had packed all his belongings into his car, had a bed available for him in the shelter – an offer he often declined.
He chose to sleep in his car outside the facility because that was where he felt safest.
Dominic, in his 80s, chose to sleep in his Landcruiser (pictured) because he felt safer in the car. All his belongings were inside, which can be seen in the rear window
Dominic was found dead in his car in Adelaide’s CBD on Sunday morning. The temperature dropped to just 3 degrees last night
“Not everyone is perfect in there (the shelter). You’re dealing with all kinds of life,” shelter client Jay Kellett said.
Another resident was just leaving the shelter to catch the bus and remembers seeing someone desperately banging on Domini’s car window after making this sad discovery.
The Landcruiser was later towed away by police and will be returned to Dominic’s immediate family.
Dominic’s tragic death highlights the urgent need for more permanent housing for Australians forced to sleep rough or who rely on shelters for their sleep.
The federal government has announced a plan to tackle homelessness and the lack of social housing, which will come into effect on Monday (July 1).
The deal is worth a whopping $9.3 billion, with states and territories required to contribute the same amount as Anthony Albanese’s government over five years.
New South Wales is expected to receive $2.82 billion, the highest amount, while Victoria is allocated $2.36 billion.
Dominic was found dead in his car outside St Vincent’s Men’s Crisis Centre in Whitmore Square in Adelaide (pictured)
The ACT receives the smallest amount of allocated funding: just $157.4 million.
The Northern Territory was awarded $290.2 million despite the Top End having a homelessness rate twelve times the national average.
In addition, Australians receiving Commonwealth Rent Assistance will receive a 10 per cent increase on top of the maximum amount announced in the May federal budget.
But Australian Social Services Council chief executive Cassandra Goldie said the increase would mean one person would earn just $9.40 extra a week if they received the maximum rate.
Ms Goldie also said people would still be in ‘deep housing stress’ if they received Jobseeker or Youth Allowance, as they would still have to pay half of their rent payment.