The energy guru powering the fight against homelessness

Catherine Anderson has looked closely at energy costs and their impact on Aussie households, pressures that are increasingly intertwined with the nation’s housing challenges.  

As chief marketing officer at Origin Energy, she often hears from customers struggling to pay their bills and knows how central energy costs are to household budgets. 

But when it comes to people without secure housing, she says the challenge looks different. 

The state of homelessness in Australia is shocking, with about 122,000 Australians experiencing homelessness on any given night, according to figures from the 2021 Census.  

But just 6% of those experiencing homelessness were sleeping rough, with the vast majority of people in less visible situations.  

Most people experiencing homelessness were couch surfing, sleeping in a car, or in other types of temporary shelter.  

It comes as one in 10 Australians were at risk of homelessness, reflecting the pressures facing people were facing across the country. 

It’s why Ms Anderson felt compelled to lend her voice and expertise to a new national push to end homelessness. 

“I think a lot about how we help not put pressure on households when it comes to energy bills,” Ms Anderson said.  

“This opportunity is about extending that impact to people who are in an even more challenging position.

“In my professional life, I don’t really get to play a role for people who are experiencing homelessness or insecure housing, so I thought this was a good way to help.” 

Ms Anderson has joined the advisory committee of the newly launched A Home for All foundation, a national initiative uniting the property industry and other sectors to help end homelessness. 

The foundation was launched this month, and channel resources and influence into frontline organisations while raising awareness of the country’s homelessness crisis. 

It has been backed by leading figures across real estate, home building, community housing and beyond, bringing together voices that don’t often share the same table but want to make a difference on the same goal: ending homelessness.  

The foundation’s first major initiative, A Night Without Home, will be held in October.  

The event invites Australians to spend one night without the comfort of their home – whether by couch surfing, sleeping in a car or staying overnight in an office – to reflect the hidden realities of homelessness. 

Participants can join as individuals or teams and fundraise to support the foundation’s work, with proceeds going towards reputable charities tackling homelessness across the country. 

For Ms Anderson, volunteering her time and expertise to the foundation was a natural extension of her work. 

At Origin, she has worked on initiatives to support families facing financial hardship, from rebates to education programs. 

“Australia is going through a lot of change, and we want to make sure no one is left behind,” Ms Anderson said.  

It’s a perspective that will help the foundation understand the bigger picture of housing and homelessness in Australia and the different ways to help vulnerable people.  

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