up here in the Philippines, where about 400 families out of 100,000,000 own just about everything worth owning, there are heaps of beggars, even in this city we live in Cagayan de Oro, the 10th largest, with plenty of sparkling malls and traffic congestion. Sure, there's social security, but the poor are given plenty of hoops to jump through, and there's no urgency for their plight. And three years after Typhoon Sendong, many who were never poor before are still waiting for decent shelter.
But that's in a country that's about one of the most unequal on earth.
But here in Australia, one of the luckiest on the planet, to have a homeless population of over 100,000 is an absolute disgrace and an utter indictment of the "I'm all right, Jack!" attitude so common today.
Some day, we might be suffering from multiple tragedies, and will be waiting for help, but will anyone else notice us?

Well Lynn I suggest you shoulder your very large share of this burden.
The fact is the majority of these people have mental health issues. You and your PC cohorts ensured that the "Asylums" for these people were closed and lawyers got very fat on suing everybody so that now nothing can be done for them.
They would be better off somewhere structured where they could be cared for but you and your ilk want rights for everybody as long as there is a big quid for the legal profession. Well now they are making millions and you blame the rest of us?
I suggest a long hard think Lynn and perhaps you will find that rubbish ideas have produced rubbish outcomes.

yep the deconstruction of the family unit by our progressive freedom fighters have certainly done the most towards the mess we now have in our prosperous society. The homeless in Australia is not the failure to care as Lyn states but more often than not the result of 'progressive ' policies which favour very much the highly paid Government social industry. The mantra that more resources (code for those wicked capitalist) proves false and only aids those in highly paid social jobs. As the cash increases so does homelessness which is not something that is broadcast very well.

Have to agree with JBowyer, and can only add,the breakdown of the family unit, and out of control youngsters, are also part of the problem!
When by rights, they need to be at home and still at school!
Not out there, selling themselves for a nights shelter or a feed, or their next hit; or eventual overdose!
There was a time when family and commitment actually meant something!
Replaced with oh so easy, no blame divorces; and a me, me generation, that has never seen tough times.
There's real work, some of these folk could do, if they're prepared to get their hands dirty!
Like swilling pigs on a pig farm!
Yeah sure its dirty smelly work, but the money is clean,as is genuine (learned) self reliance.
And even a Farmer supplied, watertight,bondwood caravan, has to be vastly superior, to sleeping rough!
Perhaps what we need besides reopened asylums , and governments that once more shoulder core responsibilities JB, is a return to compulsory conscription as a means for youngsters, to safely opt out of troubled/abusive home situations.
And I think most would be genuinely assisted by boot camp, and the gaining of some (obligatory) marketable work skills!
As opposed to on the streets and getting hooked, with all that then goes with it!
Rhrosty.

Rhostry the only thing I learned with conscription was how to march, present arms and how to kill people . Not the right teaching there of life's skills.
Some of your article I do agree with though, their should be no homelessness as nearly all people have a home in the first place but for various reason decide to drift into homelessness, then no home ,but may still be welcome in the home they left.
Seeing many homeless people living rough and on passing one wonders where their money they get from Centrelink has gone, smoking, gambling, drugs etc, same with the beggars, do you believe what they tell you as regards their poverty, therefore you pass them by, it is now a very distrusting world unfortunately.
Then again some human beings have so much wealth they rely on people to open car doors for them, expect a bow and curtsy and return to one of their money homes, they are never concerned with the plight of the homeless people, only lip service extended. Perhaps if wealth was more evenly distributed homelessness may vanish but these days it is the rich and famous who fill the media with their overpaid professions like tennis stars , actors, singers, footballers etc all very much overpaid, after all it is only another job, a doctor or nurse is far more important who in the end will have to possibly care for the homeless man or woman when they become ill, not you or I.

It's a terrible indictment upon our society to see so many of these homeless people trying to find sufficient shelter and safety on the streets of Sydney and other major cities around Australia.

However, many of the young people aren't homeless at all, they have relatively decent homes in which to live, but simply choose to live on the streets because they will not abide by the rules, that have been laid down by their respective families, when living at home.

I think it was RHROSTY who stated that it might be a good idea to renew conscription as a method of teaching these youngsters some of the more important values of life ? And I'd agree, except many couldn't take it, and would probably knock themselves off, or something just as radical, in fact most would try anything that would excuse them from any sort of sociological compliance.

I'm afraid I don't have the solution to this very vexed problem ? Sorry, actually what I meant to say is, I do have 'a' solution, it's just the magnitude and complexities of the problem, have yet to be defined. Even then, society, the government, and most of these kids parents, would never allow a solution that I might bring to the table, ever to be implemented !

O Sung Wu obviously you like learning to kill someone as a must, I would most certainly hope that females be included in your conscription ideas. Surely you realise it does not teach how to cook or milk cows, only killing, happy learning to kill O Sung Wu.

Hi there OJNAB...

No, I was actually thinking along the lines of teaching them all (both genders) some decent values, plenty of life skills and more importantly, some self-discipline. In a structured, organised environment similar to military training, 'without' the need to introduce them to weapons and tactical training.

By the way, I did six years in the Australian Regular Army, and I'm a Veteran.

Thank you for your response.

Rubbish Lyn, my wife deals with the long term unemployed in our district. Many of them are living in cars vans & camping in national parks, because it is cheap, & leaves more money for grog & tobacco.

They all get the dole, with out difficulty, all they need is a bank account. They have helped a few qualify for an account, when needed.

They have cleaned, clothed dozens of them, & found them work. A few, but very few grab the chance given to them, & some are now full members of our society, & doing well again. For all too many turning up for work every morning is not in their nature. They are soon back on the street, bludging.

Most of them know every lurk, & hand out going, & have no interest in becoming full time workers. Work is a dirty word to many of them. Yes many have mental problems, but for most they problem is they are just bone idle.

Many of these people threaten those trying to help them, & are often in trouble with the law because of their attitude.

Some people are worthless, & not worth the effort put into them. For any really wanting help, it is radially available.

As a worker who routinely dodged the "homeless" and the panhandlers in the CBD of Sydney every day, I take issue with Lyn Bender's "there is something wrong with our capitalist society" undertone.

Two reasons reason why non socialist European derived societies are generally prosperous Lyn is because of our work ethic and our concept of personnel responsibility. It s the responsibility of every individual to look after themselves and become productive members of society. Those that choose to ignore that responsibility and engage in self destructive behaviour which leads to homelessness do not evince much sympathy.

The only mitigating circumstance is mental illness, which a JBowyer pointed out, is more an indictment on the "rights" industry than the actions of the general population.

And while you are at it, could you please explain why people like yourself see nothing wrong with the Australian government purchasing 746 houses and giving them to some of the 40,000 "refugees" who flooded into Australia under the Socialist Labor Party's mismanagement of Australian border protection? If there are 'deserving poor" in Australia, why do people like yourself support the idea of foreigners jumping the queue and getting the support we deny our own people?

One presumes that Lyn is another social worker who is touting for business. The more dysfunctional people in Australia, the better for Lyn and her social worker caste. The rest of us just have to come up with more money, more money, and even more money to "solve" social problems which were avoidable in the first place.

Buggin's rule of social workers is that "social problems increase in direct proportion to the number of social workers employed to alleviate them."

Dr James Wright who acquired fame on the now defunct Midday show with Ray Martin is a wealthy man. He buys apartments and allows the poor to reside in them.
What a great role model for us all..I dream of winning the Lotto so I can do something for the homeless and I do feel that a country that creates both rich and poor should have a poor tax so some of the wealth is distributed to them..but that is wishful thinking..more Dr Wrights is what we need..doers not dreamers.

Dear Rhrosty,

I was not going to comment about this topic of homelessness at this point (because doing justice to it would require more of my time than I can afford at the moment), but I did skim over the comments and I am SHOCKED.

As a victim of conscription, all I can say is that there is nothing more cruel. many decades later I still have the occasional nightmare of being taken there again. Hunting down, kidnapping and jailing innocent boys and girls of 18, away from their loving family and helplessly placed for some years in the company of riff-raff, is the equivalent of prison (this is before even considering the horrors and dangers of war), except that my only "crime" was to be born where I was and reach the age of 18 in relative health.

Before immigrating to Australia, I made sure that there's no conscription here and was happy to be told by the Australian consul that it is in fact illegal in Australia. Otherwise I wouldn't come.

I was not a homeless to be saved - I lived with my parents and studied in university when I was taken away. If I could prevent it by going homeless so the army wouldn't find me at my parents' address, then I would rather do just that.

One of the main problems with migration, & particularly with taking in refugees is that you end up with a host of bludgers who are only too happy to accept the offerings & privileges of the country, but are not prepared to accept the responsibility to defend the society that offers those privileges.

Yep that tee shirt has the right message, if you won't pull your weight catch a plane to somewhere you prefer.

Hi there HASBEEN...

I've just re-read your original thread dealing with this topic, and I couldn't agree with you more ! As unpalatable as it is, to those who have a dedicated social agenda, it's the truth, whether they like it or not. Unfortunately with a certain demographic, both homelessness and unemployment is almost considered an industry, with recipients moving from unemployment benefits, to other tax payer benefits, because they're sufficiently unwell, to either seek work or be gainfully employed ?

I will of course conceded, there are some who do need benefits of different kinds, some for the rest of their lives. There are others who are literally unemployable usually for some protracted mental health reasons. While there are still others, who have other more complex sociological, medical and or psychological conditions, that preclude them from undertaking any work whatsoever ? And there's even a few who would dearly love to work, any work at all, but because of some severe educational deficiencies, employers won't or can't give 'em a go.

In the remotest regions of WA there are aboriginal youngsters, aged 15 through to their mid twenties, who'd undertake any work at all, anything humanly possible, just to earn a wage. Even if it were just once ! And from my most reliable info., they'll 'NEVER', 'EVER' have a job of any description, so their vocational prognosis is dreadful ! Their only future lies in eternal alcoholism, together with drug addiction , and either a guaranteed premature death, or suicide !

Yet we've got these spoilt, often middleclass lazy young people who have no intention of ever seeking work, while our existing laws don't mandate them to find useful employment, and to remain gainfully employed !

Hi o sung wu, my lady came home with a present today, from one of her clients, a success story. Half a dozen avocadoes from his own trees.

An ex school teacher who suffered a level of brain damage in an accident, he has had trouble with work ever since. Evidentially it is concentration, either a lack of it, or too much bringing on stress & headaches.

She only gets them when they have been unemployed for 2 years or more. Other advisers had tried to get this bloke into work, but were aiming too high for him, with his injury, to handle.

After a couple of false starts, she got him a job with a plasterer, who has continual problems with finding reliable workers for what is a not too pleasant type of work. He could not handle taking measurements & cutting sheets, too stressful, but is the best putty, sanding & painting hand the boss has ever had.

After 6 months he is proud to be highly valued again. She reckons he is as happy as a pig in dust, of which there is plenty in plastering.

Yes there are many bludgers, but she reckons it is these success that keep her at it.

Hi there HASBEEN...

Up early because of this damn neuropathic pain ! Still to the topic at hand, what a great story eh ! This bloke wanted to work for his mental well being, and what a success it was when he found it ! Your good lady must be absolutely ecstatic with her success with this chap, and with the gift he bestowed her. In my old job, compliments from the public unfortunately, were few and far between, but when they did come, it felt pretty good, particularly when they came in writing addressed to the Commissioner !

There's no doubt about it, there are those in our society who wish to be productive, and others who wish they've never heard of the word ? It's quite true, unemployment can have a very deleterious effect on one's mental well being, conversely those who really wish for a 'free ride' from the already over burdened tax payer, are never happier then the prospect of indefinite unemployment ?

I really don't know what the answer is myself HASBEEN ? Some have lauded the prospect of re-introducing a military style of conscription, with the absence of any weapons skills and tactics ? A good idea, but some would simply 'buckle under' and spend their time in the 'Guardhouse'. Cast your mind back to your own Naval Recruit Training, it would kill some of them I reckon ? Kapooka, would certainly sort a few of them out too, but at what cost ?

Could you imagine the public outcry '...young men and women are brutalised by 'impolite' corporals and sergeants speaking loudly at them...' and '...psychologists warn of long term mental infirmity, caused by 'unpleasant' defence personnel ordering our youth to rise before 10 o'clock each morning...' ? And yet another, '...sergeants accused of serving cold coffee to our conscripted youths, possibly causing long term emotional impact...', says leading academic sociologist ? I say just let 'em do as they wish, work or not work, entirely up to them, not worth the trouble !

I had some experience as an unpaid supervisor on a volunteer railway project using unemployed locals on the "work for the dole" scheme.

They were mostly young people and the prospect of laying rails and bedding in new sleepers was frightening to 99% of them.

But a bit of guidance and showing them how to handle long lengths of heavy rail, with safety and a minimum of physical effort, had the effect of winning most of them over; and they took pride in their work, especially as they could see what they had done.

There were the inevitable few who were "amateur lawyers" and complained all the time, so I'd just ring the employment agency and tell them that so-and-so was unsuited to the work.

This went on for two years until the agency decided that our project did not offer suitable work after I told them that it was a waste of their and my time to send me light weight girls who couldn't lift a rail spike driving maul let alone swing it.

A taste of real work appealed to most of them and a minority went on to full time employment and I still see some of them that have stayed in the district.
One slip of a girl who couldn't do any heavy work happily spent her time walking the track picking up rubbish and applying grease and oil to the various sets of points (turnouts) and today she is a supervisor in a local supermarket.

IS MISE...

You're quite right you know, you give some kids a decent chance, and often they'll respond in a positive fashion. It's a case of showing them the job that needs doing, carefully explaining and demonstrating how it's to be done. And at the conclusion of that job, allow them to see the product of their individual labours, and generally speaking, you've won them over.

As you've already stated this particularly formula, doesn't work with them all ? Some success is far preferably to no success, with young, highly impressionable, working age kids.