Thank you for all expressing yourselves so intelligently and thoughtfully. I live in Milton on the Brisbane River and am in the prime position to see the tent villiage on the other side of the river (west end). I decided to search the internet to find out about these people-who are they and why are they there? Are there children living there also? I feel so sad for them and wondered what is being done to help them, and if I can do anything to help. I found this site, and have been nicely informed-thank you once again.

You all seem terribly intelligent and informed on all of this and have wonderful ideas and the best of intentions, but it strikes me as so academic! How sad that we are reduced to this! Discussing politics and various schemes. If only we could just put our arms around them and let them talk, share their story, their fears and their hopes. Give them some food, some clothes and blankets-even just toiletries! Books, information, ideas, motivation and HOPE! But no, we may be taken to court for inappropriate behaviour, food poisoning, harassment-fear!

I believe there are many many good, caring folk in our community who would love to do something to help but are afraid ‘to do the wrong thing’ or just plainly dont know how or what they can do. The average person who knows little about mental illness, drug addiction and homelessness, is afraid, as I think they are afraid of anything they know little about.

I suppose a good start is education and awareness, so thank you, I will watch the SBS program “insight”, I will try to get my hands on the book “Down to This”, I will watch “The Grapes of Wrath” and just quietly, I think I will start taking the sandwiches that are to be thrown out at the end of each day where I work and drop them off to the people on the other side of the river to me!

Hopefully by educating people like myself, one by one, who in turn can then educate another and pass on not only the information, but the love that is in every persons’ heart to help our fellow man…

…because there but for the Grace of God go I.

So the race is on – between various governments …. and nasty political extremists to see who does win the hearts-and-minds of the homeless.

Once upon a time, the homeless could be stereotyped. Not now. Too many ordinary people are now becoming homeless – sleeping rough, sleeping in cars, sleeping wherever and however they can – they have recent crystal-clear memories of a very much higher standard of living and cannot be blamed if some of them feel very resentful and vengeful.

“I know it’s become dreadfully unfashionable for politicians to talk about homeless people”

That seems to be changing, although we’ll have to see if it has any material effect. On Wednesday, COAG agreed to divvy up $150m between the states for new crisis accommodation. Combine that with the upcoming White paper on homelessness, and it looks as though fashions are changing.

For those who missed it, the SBS-TV program “Insight” on the rental housing crisis will be re-broadcast on Friday at 1:30pm [Queensland time – so check your local times].

Excellent

There was no mention of the housing shortage caused by the Great Depression and severely exacerbated during and after the Second World War. At that time, there were renters bidding against one another too. There was the illegal but universal “key money” of up to half-a-year’s rent deposit on the key – and no receipt! There were some rental dumps that should have had demolition orders put on them [just like today]. There were even examinations behind closed doors to see if the woman fitted the house, or something [one way of ensuring genetic diversity, I suppose]. And, of course, house sharing – great for kids if the other family has kids your age too.

There were state government housing camps too, almost exactly the same as migrant camps. Crowded – but at least a roof over your head for a few years.

That severe housing shortage was not alleviated until the early ‘Fifties when the various state housing commissions built large numbers of affordable and appropriate dwellings by bypassing the failed, inefficient, profit-driven private housing sector.

There are lessons we can learn from that time.

Pavlov’s Cat mentioned “The Grapes Of Wrath”. Those unfamiliar with what can happen to good people in bad times would do well to read the book or see the film [also on DVD]. No, it’s not an instruction manual …. yet.

Fine, I don’t think that’s true in this instance. I have worked for the last 20 years as an advocate in housing and homelessness. It’s been impossible to raise any interest in the issues, despite the best efforts of many including the Brotherhood and Vinnies.

Of all organisations, they have been particularly vocal and prepared to say what they think but they weren’t alone. Neither government nor media was particularly interested and perhaps I and others have to accept some responsibility for that. But I’m not sure what else we could have done.

This could probably be demonstrated by looking at the effects of sustained situations of stress on the human brain by measuring cortisol levels or something of the kind.
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The studies have been done and the results are worrying. Long list here but basically sustained CORT elevation is a risk factor depression, if not an outright cause of the same, inhibit immune function, causes temporal lobe atrophy ….

In studies on primates on the lower end of the social scale there was a distinct difference in the nos of D2 receptors, the implication being increased susceptibility to substance abuse and possibly the development the schizotypal tendencies.

Hence, as I previously asserted, homelessness instantiates a vicious cycle of psychological and physical decline.

Actually, I don’t think that’s true. I’ve been working at an advocacy level in housing and homelessness issues for over 20 years and until the last 18 months or so it’s been impossible to get a politician to listen or to get the media to take any notice. I’m admitting to failure here but it wasn’t for want of trying.

No matter how hard we tried. Some times it seemed like the best we could do was to stop things getting worse at such a rapid rate. No organisation I know was silenced and certainly not St Vinnies or the Brotherhood.

But wait there’s more, studies on primates have found that those on the lower end of the social scale have altered dopamine D2 receptors. The implication of this is that such individuals are more prone to substance abuse and possibly the development of schizotypal tendencies.

Thus, as I have previously stated, the measures need to address homelessness are going to be very expensive and take a long time.

I realise how easy it is to get into the drift of thinking there are acceptable homeless people and non-acceptable homeless folk. However, homeless folk are just folk, and as such are as flawed and as good as the rest of us.

Used to give money and buy coffees for this guy, have a chat etc. That is until one day when he, high on ice, decided to plonk himself down next to me and talk about drugs at the top of his voice. He also thought I wanted to see his track marks in my face while eating lunch.
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After that I put him on the never-mind list. And I noticed other homeless people did too. Homelessness might not mean you are a lower form of life but it doesn’t necessarilly make you virtuous either. Just sayin’.

This is true, and I also think the experience of marginalisation tends to mean that people simply don’t have the resources to be generous, virtuous etc. They are more likely to be impolite, unpleasant or anti-scoial than those who aren’t marginalised by situations such as homelessness, because those who aren’t marginalised in these ways don’t have to consider their survival in their every action. This becomes clear if you think about the stress that comes from uncertainty over your own ability to, say, pay a bill on time. If you imagine facing similar levels of uncertainty every it is clear that only the most resilient will remain sociable and friendly in those circumstances.

This could probably be demonstrated by looking at the effects of sustained situations of stress on the human brain by measuring cortisol levels or something of the kind.

That’s so true, Klaus. It’s something to be aware of.

Thinking about this, I realise how easy it is to get into the drift of thinking there are acceptable homeless people and non-acceptable homeless folk. However, homeless folk are just folk, and as such are as flawed and as good as the rest of us.

“Yes. Charity doesn’t feel as good when it it met with a sense of entitlement..”

No, it doesn’t. Changes the relationship between the giver and the receiver somewhat.