Hancock Prospecting executive chair Gina Rinehart has pledged $200 million to help address veteran homelessness in Australia, in what has been described as the largest private funding commitment of its kind for Australian war heroes. The money will be directed to buying suitable accommodation for more than 6,000 homeless veterans, with properties around the country now being assessed for purchase and conversion into quality homes close to jobs, transport, services and support. Existing buildings including hotels, motels and apartment blocks are among the priority options.
Ms Rinehart, who has been named by Soldier On Australia as the “Honorary Guardian of Australian veterans”, said she was disturbed by the scale of the problem. “I was shocked to learn recently that more than 6,000 veterans are homeless. This is unacceptable. I hope that others will also actively and generously help to lessen this tragedy.”
She linked the worsening situation to broader pressures in the housing market. “The housing crisis, a crisis made critical by government approvals and permits delaying new housing and the ability to extend houses, high government taxes adding to costs, and record high immigration causing housing shortages, has affected many Australians,” she said. “But maybe not enough are aware that more than 6,000 of our veterans are now sleeping in the streets.”
Ms Rinehart also argued that private funding alone will not solve the issue. “Clearly, our contribution alone will not help enough homeless veterans, leaving around 6,000 veterans still homeless. A different approach to the veterans housing crisis is badly needed, a crisis also affecting many other Aussies too.”
Among her suggestions, she said unused military facilities could be repurposed, proposing the government open empty barracks for veterans. She also criticised overlapping public administration and its long-term cost. She pointed out that “80 per cent of new jobs are taxpayer funded” and added, “With our already record debt, record business failures, too high taxation, rising costs and interest rates, expanding the bureaucracy is not sustainable.”
“We cannot afford this extra layer of duplicated federal government. States have the same departments, for instance such duplication includes, agriculture, environment, the arts, plus minerals and fishing up to the 12 nautical mile limit, these federal departments must close,” she said. “The empty offices could help to house rent free homeless vets, with more rooms available for those suffering from violence or abuse and needing safe places, or struggling Aussie pensioners.”
She said those spaces could be made livable with basic fit-outs. “Yes more curtains, crockery, cutlery, bedding, bathrooms, and some kitchens would need to be included, the reduction in the salaries of thousands of federal bureaucrats, could be put to good use, plus renting out spare offices if possible, could also bring income. Many businesses would benefit, supplying the foregoing.”
The new pledge builds on Hancock Prospecting’s existing support for veterans and community initiatives. In Western Australia, the company purchased and upgraded a housing complex in South Perth to create the $10 million Sir Valston Hancock House, a purpose-built veterans housing facility run by the Australian Air Force Association WA (RAAFA). Since opening in September 2024, it has housed veterans who might otherwise have been forced onto the streets for about 3,500 nights.
RAAFA WA CEO Michelle Fyfe said the project has provided far more than a roof. It has restored “dignity, stability and hope” to veterans in the state. “Since opening in September 2024, Sir Valston Hancock House has demonstrated both its impact and the scale of the need. The facility reached full capacity within three months of opening, reinforcing what we have long known, that veteran homelessness is real, present, and growing in our community,” Ms Fyfe said.
“Since opening, the program has delivered thousands of nights of safe accommodation, supported veterans into employment, reconnected individuals with their families, and most importantly, helped people rebuild their lives,” she said. “Behind every number is a human story; veterans who have moved from living in cars or uncertainty to having a safe place to call home, often for the first time in years.”
Ms Fyfe said the work would not have happened without strong backing from Ms Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting. The initiative, she said, was driven by their “vision, leadership and generosity”. “Ms Rinehart’s commitment to veterans goes far beyond this project. Her long-standing advocacy, investment and recognition of those who have served our nation has created something truly meaningful – a place that is changing lives every day,” Ms Fyfe said. “On behalf of RAAFA, and the veterans we serve, I extend our sincere and heartfelt thanks.”
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, an estimated 5,800 veterans experience homelessness each year, equating to 5.3 per cent of defence personnel transitioning from active service.
