Arnold Zable - Writer, novelist, and human rights
activist writes:

"The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre opened its doors in
June 2001. The centre, which began as a shopfront, is
now a massive undertaking. To see the daily presence
of hundreds of asylum seekers, volunteers and supporters,
and to observe the empowering programs and expanding
facilities, is to see an alternative future at work."

"The centre is a haven, a bridge between past and present,
and a model of what is possible when Australian citizens
reach out to the latest arrivals."

It helps us to imagine a more compassionate future.
That is the way we can Advance Australia Fair.

Hi NathanJ, you said;

"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."

What you fail to understand by that statement is there are two problems, the here and now problem, and the long term problem.
You can't address the long term problems of poverty, including homelessness unless you address the immediate problems of food and shelter. In Sydney we have the likes of Rev Bill Crews Exodus Foundation a non discriminatory charity doing fantastic work at the coal face of humanity. Address the problems of today, today, and then tackle tomorrows problems tomorrow.

Hi o sung wu,
Trying to answer your questions.
(a) 'choose' to live 'rough', I'm not too sure that all that many simply choose such a life, more forced into it through life's bad experience, a poverty driven dysfunctional family environment to begin with, leading to a violent drug and alcohol culture, crime and anti social behavior. The solution has to begin long before these kids are brought into the world, by the time they reach their teen years much of the damage has been done, and a hell of a job to repair it. The answer for me is firstly education which leads to opportunity, you might only "save" one in ten to begin with but that is a lot better than the present score.

(b) That question you have already answered 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.
Many of these people are at the end of the problem line, not at the beginning, mental illness, alcohol and drugs, given up on life, police officers are not going to cure that, never have, never will, and they are trained and paid to perform other duties, not social work.

Hi there PAUL1405...

You have a much greater handle on this issue than I, surely ? When I worked uniform patrol, many of these poor old buggers were delighted to be arrested pursuant to the long repealed Vagrancy Act, particularly in winter time.

We'd put them before the local SM the next morning, and in so doing he'd make sure they were looked after, by sending them out to Long Bay for a spell. Where they were sheltered, fed, and necessarily protected from some of the 'low life's', who used to prowl around the cities parks and laneways and pray on these poor buggers after pension day ?

On looking back Paul, I now feel quite ashamed that a rich, salubrious city like Sydney, couldn't manage to look after a few hundred 'chats', save for the Mathew Talbert men's shelter, who did their best to nightly house a few of them ?

I'm an old man myself, and I'd hate to think how I'd survive if I had to live rough ? The sheer quantity of medication alone would present a problem, I'd need to cart it around with me everywhere I went ? Often we don't realise how jolly lucky we are sometimes ? There but the grace of God, go I ?

o sung wu, "There but the grace of God, go I?"

Obviously not, because you forced yourself to take the more difficult path. While there is no recognition, no flowers and no other rewards for that except what you have denied yourself to put away for later, at least you know you did the best you could with what you were given in life.

No need to apologise or feel 'lucky'.

After one has been alive for a few decades and more, it becomes abundantly clear that we most often reap what we sow. Those who take it easy drinking in the park right now and avoid study, work and other commitments do not give a hoot about their future. They believe that others will provide and care.

Just thinking, are they going to getting very rude shocks.

As sure as God made little apples, in diversified Australia with its dramatically different demographics the definitions and policies will be a-changing. It is already happening.

Paul1405,

Two volunteers from a local St Vincent De Paul branch, were being asked constant questions about assisting people in difficult situations, as a part of an interview with the ABC more recently.

They weren't answering any of the questions at all, and it was an annoying interview. They eventually said at the end (re policy) to the person hosting the show, the best people to speak to (in terms of the public and further contact) was the head office.

I am member of another group (which is a national group) and I am a member of the branch. Each branch can speak individually and put out its own viewpoints.

Money has been given to a lot of charity groups, by government and their basic values (in terms of why they were set up) have now been thrown out the door, for fear of funding cuts). Rarely do we here from these groups about serious change (in terms of government policy) at all.

This attitude also applies with political parties as well, with huge funds they get from either big business or unions - they dominate too much.

G'evening there ONTHEBEACH...

What you say is perfectly true, we're more or less, master's of our own destiny, for this reason all of us should carefully plan for our future as best we can. Without being too philosophical, I reckon we all need a bit of luck in our lives, despite how careful we are in our planning and retirement strategy. Particularly with our health and vocational stability ?

As it's often been averred, regardless of the 'best laid plans of mice and men', misfortune happens ? And unless we're prepared to confront it head on, we all tend to resile from it, whenever we're faced with unforseen adversity and vicissitude. For this reason I strongly believe it necessary, each of us needs a goodly portion of luck, in order that we may successfully ride-out those crippling life events, that can often defeat most ordinary men and women !

Somehow my friend, I believe you probably agree with me if not practically, then conceptually ?