Hi Issy,

I think I told you before, now retired in Brisbane, in a past life I spent a good deal of time working with homeless people in Sydney, mostly older people, simply trying to get them accommodation, doing the leg work they were not capable of. As recently as last Friday I got a call, out of the blue, from an agency in Sydney asking if I was available to do something for someone, unfortunately I'm not.

What you propose above is what I call the "Hawaiian solution" (many of Americas east cost homeless end up in Hawaii, true, paid for by the government). I've met people who would not even be capable of riding a bike, as for the boots they couldn't even tie their shoelaces. I recall one bloke about 60 who was on 'Newstart', what a joke, the bloke had the mid stages of dementia (un-diagnosed), and only for the fact he was taken to a hospital for copping a bashing where he was living, that he got attention. A very kind hospital social worker got him seen to, and things went from there. The bloke had lost the ability to use an ATM, read letters, meet appointments, basic things we can do, and they had him on Newstart. The only thing he was going to start was dying.

My point is a lot of homeless people are incapable, for all sorts of reasons.

a lot of homeless people are incapable, for all sorts of reasons.
Paul1405,
Yes & that's why the welfare system must be streamlined by draining the swamp that is Centrelink !

Indy and Hassy,

The imaginary 7.5% tax to justify your government handout, well some of us over 65 and not working have also paid the imaginary 7.5% tax, yet receive no aged pension, how does that work? The notion of a pension tax dissipated in the days of Keating.

Hassy, the ones who "sling off" are the self righteous people like you who look down at those less fortunate, and are full of worldly advise from your comfy smug position. Not bad coming from a bloke who said we should nuk 200 million people in Pakistan (remember, I don't forget). You're the one to talk, after saying that I would keep my trap shut.

ALTRAV,

You are slipping, I see some humanitarian tendencies in your very agreeable last post. Yes, the washing bus is operating here in Brisbane, as is the food van 3 nights a week in our local area, over 30 years now. The wife puts in every Monday at her local church where they do lunch for those in need, really anyone who turns up.

The Institute of Public Affairs did an in depth study of 'homelessness' about a year ago. Anyone who read that study would not bother emoting about it, particularly when there is not a thing they can do about it.

Hey Paul1405,
I'm sorry for saying what I said "How many homeless people are staying at your place tonight?"

Obviously, you do make an effort for those less fortunate and it was wrong of me to criticise you that way.

- But that doesn't mean the other things I said about people creating their own problems is any less true.

You want to know why I'm so tough and seemingly lack compassion on issues like these?
A large part of that reason is because I believe we could easily find better solutions.
When I can come up with solutions, then I feel like I earn the right to criticise the status quo.

So lets come up with solutions.