South Australian Alliance to End Homelessness saddened by the closure of Shelter SA
15th January 2026
The South Australian Alliance to End Homelessness is deeply saddened to learn that Shelter SA will cease operations on Friday 6 February.
We acknowledge the vital role Shelter SA has played over many years in advocating for housing and homelessness issues in South Australia. Its absence will be profoundly felt across the community and the sector.
Housing and homelessness remain among South Australia’s most critical challenges. The work Shelter SA undertook—particularly in advancing solutions that benefit the whole community and, most importantly, people experiencing vulnerability—must not be lost.
This development underscores the urgent need for a well-resourced, independent peak body to represent South Australia’s housing and homelessness sectors. Without this leadership, the voices of those most affected and the services that support them risk being overlooked at a time when reform is urgently required.
We extend our sincere thanks to Dr Alice Clark for her passion, leadership, and unwavering commitment to building fairer and more effective housing systems for South Australians.
At the same time as the South Australian Government began its review of homelessness service provision on 9 December 2025, the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness wrote to the Premier, the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP, in a joint letter on behalf of 30 major sector organisations, calling for urgent action to address the lack of resources for a dedicated housing and homelessness peak body.
The South Australian Alliance to End Homelessness stands ready to work with government, the community sector, and people with lived experience to ensure this moment leads to renewal rather than retreat.
Australian Alliance to End Homelessness CEO David Pearson said:
“The loss of Shelter SA must galvanise action to rebuild strong, independent advocacy and system leadership, so that housing justice, service quality, and lived-experience voices remain central to reform.”
Ending homelessness in South Australia is possible, but it requires not only programs and funding but also durable institutions capable of holding systems to account and driving long-term change.
Additional contact details: Duncan Bainbridge, 0434 045 805.