PM Rudd wants his newly elected team to visit 2 “shelters” in their electorates.

The defeated conservative government of Howard and many of his followers pooh-pooh this type of “homework” as a stunt.

Well, the Liberal conservatives, their propagandists and followers couldn’t be further from reality on this so called *stunt* as they have similarly been on other issues effecting Australia today after 11 years of a conservative government.

Trent Dalton recently wrote an article “City of Broken Dreams” published in the Courier Mail and linked below.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22685524-5003425,00.html

It’s a lengthy article, but well worth the time to read. It describes the plight of the homeless in Australia and provides insight into why Rudd wants his representatives to do the “homework” he has asked.

Any comments.

Thanks for that article Q&A - it makes you wonder how Australia manages to get rated 3rd on the UN HDI. Clearly Mandela was wrong: we are no longer judged by the way we treat our most disadvantaged and vulnerable, at least by the UN.

Cheers Dnicholson … there is obviously a problem though.

I think we have become sanitised to societal problems … just look at the posts of late on OLO;

- types of voting systems
- astro physics and ‘intelligent design’
- gay rights
- Jesus’ voting intention
- Who’s ‘better’ in bed
- Most active on OLO
- Etc

It used to be a truism that a society’s dignity is measured by how it treats its own disadvantaged, anything else is hubris.

I have had OLO running in the background since I posted and many people have logged in, far more people read posts without logging in at all.

While the above posts may be important to some people and other threads in general discussion more important to others – I am somewhat surprised that no one else has replied to this post, except of course you.

Is the linked article too long for people to read?
Is it a case of denying there is a problem?
Do people bury their head in the sand?
Do the ISSUES the article raise make people feel uncomfortable to acknowledge?
Have I got BO?

There are so many ‘opinionated’ people out there, where are they now?

Oh well, at least our newly elected PM has recognised the realities of our society (as opposed to many on OLO) … I can only hope during the term of his parliament, he can encourage more Australians (starting with his elected representatives) to at least look at their homework.

For those of you I have offended, so be it – look in the mirror before you start to throw stones.

Bye for a while.

I can fully understand why it's a topic many would feel uncomfortable reading about and discussing. The fact that so few are prepared to do so may provide part of the clue as to why in modern Western democracies it has been left up to governments to take the lead in providing social welfare. Much as there is always a place for philanthropy and volunteerism, the vast majority of us would much prefer to pretend the problems of the disadvantaged simply didn't exist - and because of the sort of world we inhabit, it's often all too easy to do just that. Hence it seems there is little alternative but to accept that we pay our taxes and pass the buck on to the government to take care of those who are unable, for one reason to another, to take care of themselves.

The story is powerful, shocking and true, and that is only Brisbane, I know its the same in every other city of Australia. Government funding cuts are largely to blame, but the level of interest from citizens is also a factor. Generally no one seems to care about others anymore, changing this will be a hard task.

Here's seriously hoping that K Rudd's 'homework' for the big kids in his 'class' will begin to expose the extent of homelessness and start some funding initiatives that will take us down the road of bringing about some sort of social change that can help stop these desperately poor people, especially the ones with little kids, falling through the cracks!

Now more than ever we need public housing to help people have the basics of a decent life, no house - no chance at life! How disgusting that "almost $3 billion has been ripped out of the national public housing system since 1996, with the Howard Government deciding that private market forces would better serve housing needs". Private market forces serve themselves no one else!!

Q&A

The stories are shocking. I have personally been involved with many street people who have similar stories. The idea that somehow Labour has more compassion is an absolute joke. State Labour Governments have resided for over a decade. The problem has little to do with funding but everything to do with the break down of the family (traditional) and the abuse of alcohol and drugs.The problem is not unique to Queensland but evident also in Socialist European countries. You would have a lot more credibility if you left politics out of this as you only display ignorance.

Actually, runner, there are in the order of 10000 homeless people in Sweden, out of population of 9 million. In Denmark (population 5.4 million), it's as low as 5000 (officially under 3000).
In contrast Australia has over 100000 homeless out of population of 21 million.
Even allowing for possible differences in terminology and counting methods, there is no way you can argue that homelessness is worse in "socialist" European countries.

Sources:
http://www.sos.se/SOS/PUBL/REFERENG/0015001E.htm
http://www.feantsa.org/code/en/country.asp?ID=4&Page=22
http://afho.org.au/facts/stats/archives/2002_03/2002_2003.htm

A powerful article - thanks for the link.

As for the homework, what a great idea if it's followed through on.

All our pollies and senior public servants should have a proportion of their time spent out and about getting first hand experience of issues facing people in this country. Not gatherings of party faithful or special guest appearances at functions where they are a guest of honor but rather having a look at the state of the facilities in schools. Spending some time with the homeless. Maybe a day or two talking to people waiting outside the courts for their appearance - family court and FMC come to mind but also talking to people facing criminal charges might be useful. Tagging along with cops for a while. The list could go on and on.

If Rudd is serious about the homework and follows through I may have to revise my opinion of him.

R0bert

Q & A - yes, the plethora of posts on burning questions like "Are Gay People Really Human" and "Did God Dictate the Bible Direct or Did He Have a Secretary" - not to mention "Is Australia At Risk from Migrating Herds of Ilks?" really show up the lack of response to issues that may be a tad more urgent.

Although I am a-political, at the beginning of last year I did a report for Julia Gillard on the homeless on QLDs North Coast, following a doco on homeless kids in the same area I'd done. The year before did one on Centrelink. Gillard was the only polly at the time to take any interest.

Every time I have written an article or posted on this forum the response in regard to the disadvantaged has been to the effect that those nasty homeless people or single parents are only disadvantaged because of Feminists or Multiculturalism or...hell, I don't know..the Demon of the Day. Even those who don't go that far poo poo the idea that there is a problem, or that "they" haven't done something wrong to land in such a position. Then there is the ubiquitous answer that it is all the fault of wanting a plasma t.v. or a "Macmansion". Not to mention those who accuse one of telling lies and demand personal details or contacts.

So, yes, The linked article was great and everyone on this thread took it seriously: but if these kinds of forums mirror the "average" Australian I still despair of ever getting support for reform before people start with the..."I don't pay my taxes to support no-hopers..." line.

wizofaus

IN 2003 Time magazine did an article on the homeless rates in Europe compared to America. Their conclusions:

'That Europe's homelessness problem is roughly the same as America's is a shock. After all, Europe sees itself as more socially responsible than the U.S. "

'But economics is only a small part of the problem. Unlike Eastern Europe and Russia, where homelessness is mostly a result of massive unemployment, the profile of Western Europe's homeless is much more complicated. A large proportion owe their condition to nonfinancial difficulties — alcoholism or drug addiction, mental disabilities, or trauma brought on by physical or psychological abuse. "We're talking about people who have been raped or severely beaten up as children, who've had bad marriages, lost loved ones, been thrown out of jobs or suffered other kinds of indignities," says Dublin social-research consultant Brian Harvey. "Homelessness is the end of the line in a series of personal disasters."

the structure of oz society makes homelessness inevitable. oz is not an inclusive society. ozzians are willing to ostracize losers, lest they be called on to share some of their own benefits with others. this is the consequence of capitalism, which is really the euphemism for the 'law of the jungle'.

humanity is capable of inclusive society, but thus far such societies have not been able to compete successfully with the aggressive societies based on greed and power-seeking. as earth fills up, perhaps the utility of inclusive societies will become more persuasive.

Runner

I agree with you; these issues should rise above politics. I only raised this thread because it was the Liberal Party that accused Rudd of a political ‘stunt’. Rudd just wanted to focus his ‘Class of 07’ on the reality of the homeless in Australian society today. Why don’t you say to the Liberal Party, they “would have a lot more credibility if they left politics out of this, as they only display their ignorance,” rather than point it at my intelligence or lack thereof?

Seriously, we expect our leaders to tackle the big issues (like this) in a reasoned and rational way. Rudd appears to be doing this and we can only wish him well.

Look at Climate Change, this too should be apolitical – you should be an environmentalist first, it does not belong to the domain of Labor – look at Turnbull doing a “me-too”, look at the Californian governor, both conservatives.

It seems to me that the only way the planet is going to solve the BIG issues facing the world today is if people with divergent views somehow meet in the middle – convergent policies if you like. The neo-con policies of Bush and extreme communism will not bode well for the world – a more centrist approach is needed, as displayed by Rudd’s social conservatism.

Nelson/Turnbull recognised this, Howard/Costello didn’t. I wish Nelson/Turnbull well, if only to encourage Rudd to try harder.

As far as some states go, yep – a shocker. Example, they could not fund separate institutions for people with mental disabilities – whose policy was it to reintroduce these people into mainstream society without adequate resources? Now these people end up in hospital beds or gaols for God’s sake! You have to ask, WHY?

Give me a better State alternative and I would be the first to jump.

Anyone else have difficulties logging in today?