Oh my goodness, surely this is a kneejerk overreaction. What can we say when the two peak bodies for housing and homelessness in South Australia call for a reduction in homelessness data collection? It's astounding.

I have participated in the homelessness street count conducted by the City of Sydney council, and so I'm aware of the stock/flow issues, the lack of contextual information for the data, and the general issues regarding the reliability and validity of the data. Street counts don't actually tell you very much. I also understand your frustration that governments tend to focus on outputs rather than outcomes (although I would suggest it might be appropriate to consider rough sleeping as an outcome). But surely Shelter SA could be a bit more constructive... Rather than simply calling for the count to be abandoned, you could try working with the SA government to contextualise the data with information like turnaway rates from your member services.

Might it be that Shelter SA and Homelessness SA are representing homeless services, rather than homeless people? Your article makes it sound like you don't want there to be a reduction in rough sleeping.

Do what they did in NSW about the trains being late; Re-define late as more than 10 minutes late. Fixed up their reliability figures in no time.

I thank the writer for this eyes wide shut view on a problem that's only going to get bigger. We know what causes this you know:) Now! lets look at the problem through the goggles of mathematics,s shall we, good.

1. Humans breeding+technologies replacing people+jump in human intelligence+rich people only+poor people not important+cost of living+work availability+overpopulation+environment stress= total failure:)

2. Numbers+greed+distractions by Drugs/music/and the advertisement industry+the reckless+genetic luck+the too cool for schools= The Western world is failing by its own stupidity:) Oh and trust me, Iam being nice today:)

WOW! hey, 23 million people in Australian today, when the future mathematical systems dictate only 17 million is needed. MMMMM that's interesting......and why are we inviting more people to our shores for again?

So there you have it!

Brisbane with the highest homeless rate in Australian A.......gees I wish I could be a Queen-slander...lol. there very smart people you know, and they will tell you too:) Must have something to do with IN-BREEDING problem they had here in the 1900,s.

I heard this funny country lad strike up a joke the other day, and it when like.........."I cant read...I cant write......But I Can Drive A Tractor.....lol...Man! I just near wet myself.

See! the great thing about QLD,s....they know how to give and take a joke.....I just love them:)

So stopping the body count hey!.....well if your going to make your banjo plucking, champion off-spring, I'd think very very carefully some of you, I really would:)

And to throw money at them, is just a waste of time.

You feed!, they breed:)

Have a nice day.

cactus:)

Oh now! your stuck for words:) must be a full moon.

cactus:)