Liz, you've done it again!

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/sacrifice-redferns-grunge-at-your-peril-20120502-1xz5e.html

I wont wast space, as this epic comment, of which I wholeheartedly agree, comes from Fran (May not be her real name)

'Is it just me or is there something incredibly offensive and patronising about a member of the landed gentry revelling in the plight of the underclass because they add a little colour to her middle-class life?
Maybe they add charm and grunge to your existence, Elizabeth, as you step over them on the way to the train station, and you can pat yourself on the back about how 'progressive' you are for living side by side with these people, but I can guarantee life isn't so charming or colourful from their point of view.
The solution is not to divide the suburb or deny their existence, but neither is it to romanticise this urban decay from your lofty position of privilege and power.'

Bravo!

ali this time...

'Yes, inverse snobbery from one of the people who is part of the 'problem' of gentrification. Admitting that she is part of the problem doesn't make it magically go away, it just makes the writer a bit of a hypocrite, projecting & demonising the "other" gentrifiers; you know, the bad ones over there, the ones not keepin' it real in the 'hood.'

Bravo! Bravo!

This phenomena I first experienced while travelling to poor countries, and caused me considerable angst when I identified that was part of the attraction for me. You can add that in with hating 'tourists' while I was doing the exact same thing whilst spending less money in the country than they were.

Luckily the crisis was easily averted by a quick rationalisation that I didn't barter for goods like some.

Phew!

Not sure about this drink, but if you wait till the next greens meeting,or ALP conference the lefts group will know.
They arrive in a VW Combi high heels, men too, and look a bit up them selves .

Well clearly Elizabeth Farrelly does not mind Redfern's rich tapestry. Excuse the cliche but the opening post is a bit of cliche really - Chardonnay again. Maybe next time Latte. :)

I don't know much about Redfern other than from old news about the NSW Government clearing out some of the homeless and Indigenous groups prior to the Olympic Games. Governments are good at putting a shallow gloss on things instead of addressing the problems. Can't let the foreigners see how things really are.

I also don't know that much about Redfern, even
though I'm originally from the Western suburbs of
Sydney (Parramatta/Wentworthville). Redfern was
simply a train-station on the way to the city -
like Strathfield/Ashfield et cetera. It was much
later that I read about the Wiradjuri woman from
Cowra in central-western New South Wales,
Colleen Shirley Smith, known to everyone as "Mum Shirl."

It seems that over the years Mum Shirl influenced
Father Ted Kennedy at Saint Vincent's parish in Redfern
when he turned the resources of the church over to
caring for dispossessed urban Aborigines.

Mum Shirl's work at St Vincent's evolved into an informal
welfare agency for a mixed clientele of ex-prisoners,
children in need, single parents, alcoholics, and young
probationers. With no money of her own, Mum Shirl often
ran her services on her own sickness benefits and according
to several articles, by the 1990s Mum Shirl had assisted
some 6000 people.

I imagine that Redfern today would be an interesting mix
of people - a unique inner city suburb with its own history.
A place that so many call home and love - as the author of
the given link obviously does.

If Elizabeth Farrelly is fair dinkum about…

"I'm sorry to see them go, the toothless drunks, the heaving hookers, the foetal alcohol boys and the rooming-house ladies."

Couldn't she just find out where they've relocated and move there herself?

The Chardonnay was just for you pelican. Tou-Che!

The terms for lefties are brilliant, and Liz really suits them to a tee.

As do you peli, even though you're more of a basket weaver I imagine:-)

'rich tapestry'

It brings about the general point of the paternalism of the left. I always find the preservation of culture by the left interesting. Now if the culture is ant-western all the better, but I am of the opinion keeping people away from the filthy IPods is a bit much. and what of the FGM, that's part of the 'culture'. Shouldn't it be preserved? Oh, only the good parts, the parts that are novel from the perspective of our culture, not the barbaric ones.

'I imagine that Redfern today would be an interesting mix
of people - a unique inner city suburb with its own history.
A place that so many call home and love'

Not for long Lexi. It's only half way through the process of raising the rents and property values so only the Yuppies will be living there. Then somewhere more trendy will be swamped next, when more little Liz's decide they need to 'add a little colour to her middle-class life'.

Good suggestion Trevor, I think she should move to Penrith, and introduce them to the arts! She could create a the-atre, and get to enjoy the culture of Panther's Leagues.