G'day there BELLY...Mate, you're right, I forget mental illness is another very real component of the Homelessness problem.

Once we could take someone to the 'Admission Centre' at either Gladesville or Callen Park, Psychiatric Hospitals if their conduct was a little strange and bizarre. I'm not sure where they go now?

It's my understanding the government closed down many of the Psychiatric Hospitals, in order to save money. Thus discharging many patients who still required intensive care and were clearly unable to function within society, never mind get a job and care for themselves.

In my humble opinion, the governments conduct in this matter, is utterly reprehensible in my opinion, and completely heartless into the bargain.

This is just sorta on topic.

Many years ago the Coca-Cola Company was persuaded to change the shape of their bottles to a brick shape, with enough hollow in the base to accept the neck of another bottle.

Hey, presto! Millions of bricks for buildings to house the poor, but the then Socialist regimes in South America cried "Foul"; they were not going to have their people housed in discarded US rubbish, so the grand plan came to nought.

The imaginary 7.5% tax
Paul1405,
Imaginary you say ? When did Keating reduce the tax by 7.5% after he got rid of the idea of an old age pension ? It never showed up in my wage slips !
We don't get hand-outs, only public servants get them.

o sung wo peat Island in the middle of the Hawkesbury River near the now new [45 years old] bridge too housed those in that position
Well remember them being turned out on the streets sad stuff
Often think we could do better even if some would be in onsite buildings in set up parks
A home is the most important thing to build a life on

Hi, (again) BELLY...

You are quite correct, Milson & Peat Islands, both housed severe Psychiatric patients. With Milson Island being turned over to the Dept of Corrective Services. The former housed Prisoners from about about the late 1960s, until it ultimately closed down. I'm not sure of the precise date, I'm sorry. I believe Peat Island was functioning for a bit longer, mainly catering to younger Psychiatric Patients.

Well Indy, who are the "WE"? I paid tax for near 50 years, and I'm not one of the "WE" Based on the amount you supposedly paid, the so called 7.5%, which was never invested to generate a return, all sometime last century, if it ever existed, its now worthless. That tax nest egg you paid should keep you in a "pension" for about 5 minutes. The hypocrisy is you bang on about public servants, yet its PS who have to make sure you get your handout every fortnight. Lay off the public servants, they like most do a good job, to the best of their ability, you can't say the same.

Didn't you say, at one time your were a public servant yourself? If you were obviously one of the elite 5%.