Mother of 13 Pleads for Help as Family Lives in Highway Rest Area
Lisa Hosking, an Indigenous mother of 13, and her family have been living in a tent at a highway rest area in rural New South Wales for three months after their rental lease ended. Despite applying for over 200 private rental properties, the large family has been unable to secure housing due to severe vacancy shortages and discrimination against large family units. The family faces harsh conditions, including freezing nights, high diesel costs for power, and lack of access to showers, which has disrupted the children's school attendance. Hosking rejected temporary solutions that would split the family, prioritizing their unity and safety. The case highlights the broader crisis of homelessness among Indigenous Australians and the specific challenges large families face in the current rental market, where vacancy rates are around one percent. Support workers note that while the family has the financial capacity to rent, they are being overlooked, reflecting systemic issues in housing availability and the failure to meet Close the Gap targets for Indigenous housing stability.
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Mother of 13 Pleads for Help as Family Lives in Highway Rest Area
Lisa Hosking, an Indigenous mother of 13, and her family have been living in a tent at a highway rest area in rural New South Wales for three months after their rental lease ended. Despite applying for over 200 private rental properties, the large family has been unable to secure housing due to severe vacancy shortages and discrimination against large family units. The family faces harsh conditions, including freezing nights, high diesel costs for power, and lack of access to showers, which has disrupted the children's school attendance. Hosking rejected temporary solutions that would split the family, prioritizing their unity and safety. The case highlights the broader crisis of homelessness among Indigenous Australians and the specific challenges large families face in the current rental market, where vacancy rates are around one percent. Support workers note that while the family has the financial capacity to rent, they are being overlooked, reflecting systemic issues in housing availability and the failure to meet Close the Gap targets for Indigenous housing stability.
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