Ask any one you meet – every one is concerned about homelessness.
One Australian government website says quite plainly, “Shelter is a basic human
need, and there is a strong correlation between housing, health status, and
living standards.” Labor and Liberal governments would say they are all trying
their best. Last month there was Sydney’s
Homeless Person’s Week which was an opportunity for people on the streets to
tell their stories. The South Sydney Herald went to St John’s Darlinghurst for an event called
“Out of the Soap Box.”
The first speaker was a woman named Sally, who has been
around the Cross for 20 years. Unresolved childhood trauma led to heroin
addiction and she lost her rental accommodation because, as she said, “I would
spend my rent money on buying shots and then I was out on the streets.” Over
the years she has slept in most places around the Cross – outside the Wayside
Chapel and in the grounds of St John’s
Darlinghurst. It was always difficult and she was moved on every time. About
four years ago, Sally says (with some pride) that her life turned around – she
got on methadone and the Department of Housing finally came through for her.
Now Sally has a roof over her head, and she wants to offer something back in
return. She now volunteers at Rough Edges, which is the drop-in centre at St John’s Darlinghurst
and also at the Wayside Chapel. Leonie also shared her story. She came from a
wealthy family and worked as a nurse in the army. The world was her oyster and
she was married for 10 years. In 1987 she became pregnant, and her husband left
her. Her sole-parent payment was about $98 a week and she found it difficult to
pay off a mortgage. Leonie lost her house and lived with her child in a car.
She was always moving to try and avoid the Department of Social Services taking
her daughter away from her. Leonie’s daughter now stays with her mother and
Leonie has a place to live. She stays with friends and she is happy and things
are improving.
As the night went on, other members of the audience asked,
“Why don’t politicians take us seriously? What’s the point of voting? Do people
care?” Right at the end there was an emotional comment from a man who identified
himself as a heroin addict who had shot up earlier in the day. “I’m not an
animal. I’m a human being. I have kids and parents who love me and I’m struggling
with massive addiction issues. I deserve to be treated as a human being.”
It was a good night. Unfortunately there wasn’t a politician
in sight.
The major Australian government and State and Territory
government response to homelessness is the Supported Accommodation Assistance
Program (SAAP). SAAP assists people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
by providing transitional supported accommodation and related support services.
The Supported Accommodation and Crisis Services Unit incorporates the SAAP
National Data Collection Agency (SAAP NDCA), which collects and analyses data
about the Program and its clients.
[South Sydney Herald November 2006]