Advancing housing justice through collective action

Southern Women’s Action Network (SWAN) is a long-standing, apolitical, women-led network on the Mornington Peninsula. Since 1996, SWAN has advocated for social justice across the region and built a reputation as a trusted convenor that can bring together community voices, service providers and decision-makers to tackle issues that need collective action.

In late 2025, SWAN convened its second Housing Justice Roundtable as the local housing and homelessness situation reached what participants described as its worst point on record. More than forty leaders attended including community service organisations, housing agencies, local, state and federal government representatives, philanthropic groups and community groups. The Federal Government’s Special Envoy for Housing and Homelessness, Josh Burns MP, joined the discussion to hear directly from the local community about the escalating housing crisis on the Peninsula and actions they believe are required.

The housing crisis in a local context

Participants described rough sleeping as a year-round reality, not a seasonal issue. They highlighted an extreme mismatch between rising need and limited resourcing. In short, the Peninsula faces one of the sharpest homelessness crises in Victoria, yet receives far less funding for support services and housing than comparable regions.

The scale of the crisis is stark. The Mornington Peninsula has the highest rough sleeping rate in Victoria, with women making up around 37% of rough sleepers. Around 1,000 people have experienced homelessness locally in the past year, and more than 2,600 people are currently waiting for public housing. At the same time, participants reported that roughly 400 public housing dwellings sit empty and unused, worsening pressure on an already stretched system.

Local community support services told the roundtable they are operating beyond capacity. Without adequate specialist funding, they cannot consistently respond to the complex, co-existing needs that often accompany homelessness including family violence, mental health challenges, and alcohol and other drug issues. The presence of only one local outreach worker – funded philanthropically rather than by government – became a symbol of this inequity and a practical barrier to moving people from rough sleeping into housing.

The role we played

Right Lane supported SWAN to ensure the roundtable translated local urgency into a clear, collective proposition for government. We worked with SWAN to clarify the purpose and intended outcomes of the roundtable, co-design the agenda so that it balanced evidence with lived experience, and plan contributions to maximise participation across a diverse group.

On the day, we facilitated the discussion to keep it grounded, respectful and action-oriented. We helped the group converge on shared priorities and clear ‘asks’ of the Federal Government. SWAN’s feedback confirmed that this support kept the session running smoothly under tight constraints and helped participants move beyond individual concerns toward a united voice.

Why it matters

The roundtable brought decision-makers face-to-face with a crisis that is no longer abstract for the Peninsula. One participant stated the roundtable was one of the most effective deep dives by any politician in our region on homelessness and housing.

The group articulated a focused call for action: recognise the Peninsula’s unique homelessness crisis, correct inequities in outreach and housing funding, and fund three outreach roles as a baseline. Together, these steps would shift the Peninsula from managing the crisis through goodwill to building a system that delivers safety and stability, particularly for women and families, at the scale now required.

The roundtable, therefore, functioned as both a warning and a pathway forward. It demonstrated that a united local coalition can present a compelling case for immediate, equitable investment that would materially change outcomes for women and the wider community.

Quote from SWAN (pull out quote)

‘This was the second time that Right Lane has partnered pro bono with SWAN to organise a round table community forum on housing and homelessness on the Mornington Peninsula and we could not be more grateful for the support and more satisfied with the outcome.’