MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire representatives have met with department officials at Southern Peninsula Community Support to address homelessness and broader community crisis issues on the peninsula.
According to a council report, the meeting provided a valuable opportunity for advocacy, with councillors meeting with Housing and Building Minister Harriet Shing, as well as Homelessness Victoria at Rosebud on 16 March, before a public homelessness forum that evening.
“These discussions were constructive and are considered a positive step toward addressing homelessness and broader community crisis issues, which consistently remain among the top priorities for our community,” the report stated.
It also noted that the council “continues to strongly advocate for improved responses to homelessness across the peninsula” and is “actively listening and responding to these concerns.”
In January, Melbourne Zero, which actively tracks homelessness, listed 114 actively homeless people on the Mornington Peninsula as of December. The data lists 88 of those as “sleeping rough”.
In the year to January, there were five reported homelessness deaths on the peninsula (Community leaders demand homeless action, The News 19/01/26).
SPCS CEO Jeremy Maxwell, who was present at the meeting, spoke candidly about the challenges faced by the region, particularly the lack of state government funding for any programs to deal with the issue.
“We have the largest number of rough sleepers in Greater Melbourne and we’re the only local government area that gets no funding for assertive outreach for homelessness,” he said.
“I’ve said that to the Minister, and I’ve said it to Homelessness Victoria. It’s just got to a point where I cannot fathom why.”
He added that both the shire and community organisations were actively lobbying in the Nepean by-election.
The shire’s acting mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro and CEO Mark Stoermer attended the meeting.
Pingiaro said a homelessness forum held in Mornington later that day was a “tremendous success” with about 450 people gathering for the discussion.
“Council will continue to advocate for state funded outreach workers for our community support centres along with funding for the proposed 22 crisis and transitional homes for women and children on the Mornington peninsula,” he said.
“Council contributes about $1m each year to support local homelessness services, including our three community support centres, Peninsula Community Legal Centre and Vinnies Kitchen, and also supports the Functional Zero response on the Mornington Peninsula.”
Pingiaro said council had also leased council-owned land in Hastings and Mornington to Women’s Property Initiatives and YWCA for social housing, while a separate Rosebud project with Housing Choices Australia and Good Shepherd is seeking government funding to deliver 22 crisis and transitional dwellings for women and children.
“There are currently 2624 applicants on the local social housing waiting list. This is not something council can solve alone – we need both the state and federal governments to help us support our most vulnerable residents.”
The forum resulted in the Minister committing “to further discussions with council, supporting continued advocacy at the state government level,” the council report said.
Last December the state government said it invested more than $50m on homelessness services in the Bayside Peninsula, which includes the Mornington Peninsula, in the last financial year – more than any other part of Victoria.
First published in the Mornington News – 31 March 2026
