[1] Government and NGOs aim to change the public understanding of homelessness as being a problem beyond street sleepers.
Of the 122,000 people in Australia who were estimated to be homeless at the last 2021 census,[2] about 16,000 (15%) were sleeping rough on the streets.
[3] Homelessness Week came about from various churches and missions running winter vigils to remember people who had died on the streets.
These vigils were normally held in August as it is the coldest time of the year in Australia, when most people were likely to be overcome by the elements.
[1] In 2013, a bikers club in Western Sydney organised an HPW event which included a ride to distribute blankets for street sleepers.