Shock closure of YiSSA leaves vulnerable in peril

Shock closure of YiSSA leaves vulnerable in peril Michael Dean Mon, 19/10/2026 - 09:06 The closure of YiSSA this week has laid bare the cruelty and callousness of this CLP Government decision. It’s a saga that has become increasingly costly, both to the Territory budget and to the lives of those affected. With 300 beds, YiSSA was the largest short-stay and homelessness facility in the country. After the NT Government’s surprise announcement on 15 July, that it would shut YiSSA’s doors in just 90 days, I visited shocked residents and staff. I spoke to a grandmother who was the sole carer for her grandchildren. Her daughter, their mother, had died by suicide, and she was left with nowhere to go and sought refuge at YiSSA. She told me the children were attending school and YiSSA gave them some stability and normality in their lives, allowing them to get an education. Another woman pointed to a deep scar on her forehead and said, “a bad man did this to me.” YiSSA has given refuge to thousands of people over its lifetime. It was a safe facility with 24-hour security, private rooms and the offer of three meals a day. To be clear, residents paid per night to be there, and it was open to I

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