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The Forum > Article Comments > When poverty means not having enough to eat > Comments

When poverty means not having enough to eat : Comments

By Sally Babbington, Sue King and Christine Ratnasingham, published 30/4/2007

The debate about poverty definitions and measurement needs to be grounded in the actual experiences of people who are going without.

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Cut Off the Dole Five Times Since Christmas and then fraught (as a Single Woman) by the Centerlink’s Marriage Investigators.

You might recall I reported being cut off and left virtually homeless during Christmas.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=5318#66191

In total:

I have been cut of the dole eight times in less than a year through no fault of my own.

Three times last year during two cyclones (2006) and severely harassed by the Marriage Investors then and; reported to the local Building inspector on that occasion as well.

Frankly I am suspicious. The last time I was investigated by the Marriage Investors it was revealed that they were acting from a (so called anonymous) “tip-off” from inside my own community.

Anonymous?

How can this be allowed?

What is a person as skilled, intelligent and innovative as myself doing on the DOLE you might ask?

Due to the social-economic and political problems we have in this isolated rural region, I have been out spoken on issues of sustainable development. After not being able to find work, I formed a Candoo (mini) NGO. Given we have no “resource centre” I advocate and provide support services to others in difficulty. I write letters, submissions and campaign on local employment, health and crime prevention. Issues of self-determination through self-governance. I believe strongly in building capacity through civic engagement.

Regardless of how hard I try, I am ridiculed by many local-and regional officials, and nullified by a lack of government response, everywhere.

Politically I have been up against a regional and local mainstream silo. Somehow it could be I have been blacklisted by a small closed network who want me disempowered. See Altmann’s 2004 election letters.

To call-centres, I have reported to Centrelink, , the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), JobNet and JobFind and my local Council.

This is how poverty works in regional areas, where small populations divide on issues of disadvantage.

We lack important legal-political-cultural resources in all areas of administrative governance.

At ground level we lack a socio-economic specific kind of community infrastructure.

http://www.miacat.com
.
Posted by miacat, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 2:04:40 AM
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Good idea. Poverty is often caused by unpopular ideas and not just gambling, drinking, or eating problems.
To have the socio-economic thing is unrealistic until more people consider what really passes for respectability. 'Work', consume, show off, who cares what it is doing to the planet. Times are now changing, More people are realising that we need to sustain the only living planet in the known universe. Be patient.
Posted by citizen, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 3:43:36 AM
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Two of the most strident voices against dole bludgers that I know are women whose husbands have spent 15+ years on invalid pensions. I suspect that the loudest slaggers of dole bludgers are often in receipt of government welfare payments, like invalid pension, old age pension.

When I compare 2 families I know in receipt of welfare payments, both families have 1 kid on austudy, in one family mum works, dad is on invalid pension, the mortgage increases everytime a car needs to be replaced, the kids are at a private K12 school on part fees - grandparents give $3000 per annum, and I think they rarely [sometimes] go hungry.

I contrast that with another family that rents ministry housing, single mum driving a $800 bomb, when it goes. Mum completed a nursing qualification but was unable to secure more than 5 shifts a fortnight before she blew her back out lifting a patient. There is clearly no food in the house every second week as the kid cruises over on a vague begging expedition. I have seen a Friday night meal of a humungous $2 tray of chips slathered in gravy. The only meals that I think I could prepare for less money are burghul or porridge.

I think people forget that everyone has to have a mobile phone, you can't get work if you can't be contacted by phone and there is an increase in employers SMSing shift availability and employee messages to a phone list.
Posted by billie, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 10:08:15 AM
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There are some very good comments there and my heart goes out to common i understand been there,

also fresh food you may not have noticed how fresh food really is, or where it comes from or how long it is in storage so really frozen is fresh, when you compare to the fresh ideas people.

Bread best before
fruit and veg fresh but dont worry its been in store for 12 months.

I remember fresh was baked today
Picked yesterday.

It has been said that people of our class the middle and lower class have no rights to be in politics well this would explain why i am fighting and why the divide between upper and middle and lower class is getting wider.
Upper class in government, who reaps the rewards us the middle and lower class no, not by statistics, and what is being said.

So members and candidates wanted for The Australian Peoples Party.

you up for a fight
or ready to fizzle out and accept servatude.

www.tapp.org.au
Posted by tapp, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 10:24:05 AM
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it would seem that even after writing about my situation, but not in detail, there still appear to be those who continue to generalise centrelink recipients as uneducated dolts who buy processed food and spend the majority of their money on cigarettes.
(yes GYM FISH, i mean you) peppering your post with large words wont serve to confuse the likes of me either, as i can read and know how to use a dictionary. i probably have more resilience and inner strength in my big toe than most people possess overall. i am not posting here to garner sympathy for myself. what reason do i have to look back upon my education as worthwhile when the system is keeping me at a designated level (you may have this much, but no more) and not allowing me to contribute to society, thereby improving my general well-being. my annual income is $12,000. chump change for some im sure.
Posted by common, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 12:14:18 PM
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Common, I am not unsympathetic. You are the reason that we have a welfare system, and why it should be more generous to those that are truly in need.

Food vouchers and the like help to ensure that enough substance is provided, rather than having money spent on the unnecesaries. Common, it is not an insult to you at all, but I have lived in towns that are generally very poor and pension day sees a dash for the pub, the general store (for smokes) and the pokies. I dont have anything against these things in general (I dont mind a drink now and then, and I usually put $5/month into the pokies just for fun), just that they should be allowed to take priority. I know they do though - I live with an addict (to the legal drugs). There is no easy answer to this dilemma though.

As far as the $2 meal - try bacon and veggie fritters... a bit of flour, 100g bacon, egg, milk to mix and a grated carrot and zuccini will feed 4 for around $2-3 total. As well as being cheap, it provides protein, iron, and a good range of vitamins including A, B's C and D.

One of the big dilemma's is for working families that earn little, as there are big restrictions on time, which preclude a number of money saving activities.
Posted by Country Gal, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 1:26:14 PM
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