A poem, by Annette H. A. Schofield

Let Australia stand for liberty
Freedom, hope and unity
Destined now to be a nation
With a higher valuation
Of what life on earth should be
Not in social degradation of the weary and the weak
But with pledge in honour keeping
Giving to each human being
Human pride and dignity
Let us then a new world hasten
Work for peace to right each wrong
Treat all others as we would brothers
Heed not either creed or color
Sing our own dear country’s song
For the God of all creation
Waits the unity of nations in to one great family
Let Australia then the guide be
Beacon for the world to see
Australia

I have just read through the depressing comments in this thread.
No one seems to be aware of what is going on and just blame government
of either brand or big business & banks.
The problem we have is that it is not just politicians
that do not understand, it is the majority of us all.

I believe I know, and I am far from being on my own, but those that
have the power to act are not aware in sufficient numbers.
I gather that it is a physiological condition that is well know that
causes people to reject concepts that makes them uncomfortable.
The condition means that people will not react until something very
substantial occurs that inconveniences people dramatically.
Then they will want it fixed tomorrow.

The Schofield poem is better than the national anthem but not relevant to where we are in history today. Our current anthem is in turn better (or at least less-worse) than the ridiculous British royal song that served as a "national anthem" before it. However the words of our national anthem are still a fatuous word salad cobbled together in a thought bubble. "We are young and free" - bollocks. Austrslia has been inhabited for tens of thousands of years - it's plain whom the "We" in "We are young and free" excludes. The projected exercise in re-badging Australia, mooted at the recent COAG meeting called to beef up the GST war on the impoverished, might profitably turn attention to a much better national anthem for a start.

I really don't know where the blame should levelled ? Obviously both federal and state governments can do some things, how much though, I really don't know ? A couple of things:-

(a) Why do some youths (14 -17 years old) 'choose' to live 'rough' when the have perfectly good homes to go to ? Is it because many are not prepared to submit to basic family discipline at home perhaps ?

(b) It's definitely not the job of uniform police to act as 'ex officio' social workers and counsellors to homeless people living in inner city parks and gardens ?

Pericles,

"Here are some insights for you to digest, in case you ever need to venture out into the real world from your comfort zone."

I don't live in a city/suburban area, so where the town I live in doesn't generally have homeless people at all. I also know of one person who was sleeping in a rural shed near my brother's rural property. When the new owners came into the shed, they also found around 20-30 cats. The RSPCA, people from the local council and a social worker had to be called in.

Too many charities just simply want to keep handing out food on cold nights, without providing any real, long term solutions, in terms of improving these people's lives.

There are options. So I don't know why the Labor Party isn't doing more to seriously and affordably "Advance Australia" with the community involved. Instead it seems heavily obsessed with issues like same sex marriage.

NathanJ

I have friends whose family farm has been reduced substantially. He and she are both well-educated and the travelling sort. They have often assisted in poorer countries, richer ones too.

Through word of mouth they take in youth who need space and time out. They can generally help around the place as they recover. There are acceptable shearer's quarters and the sheds. Some free mutton and veg.

It works out well with no pressure on the youth. They can come and go as they please. No drugs, no squabbles or bye, bye.

They are just good people who don't seem to need much as long as they can see the world (cheaply).

Maybe we could all do more as a community. Better town and city planning would facilitate.

Politicians want to pass laws. Often that defeats the purpose.