Editorial
A true test of a society or a community is how it looks after its most vulnerable.
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As far as the issue of homelessness goes in this country we still have a ways to go before we can afford to rest on our laurels.
Today Illawarra Mercury reporter Brendan Crabb introduces us to Bob Peterson. Bob, now 74, spent a couple of years sleeping on the train between Kiama and Central of an evening just as a way of having some safe shelter.
"It was alright," he told the Mercury.
"I knew a few blokes who do it, and they're still doing it. They'd been doing it for years. And I said, 'oh well, it's somewhere to sleep instead of sleeping out in the cold'."
That's not alright is it? We can not accept that is okay in any way shape or form.
If there are people in our community forced into this situation as a way of having shelter over their heads then it's clear we still have some work to do.
This week is Homelessness Week. The theme for Homelessness Week 2020 is 'Everyone Needs a Home".
Is that really too much to ask? Can we accept that as the simple goal that Australian society and communities like our must strive to achieve?
The sad thing is Bob is not one of a few. Bob is one of a bout 120,000 people in Australia who are without a home every night.
As you sit nice and warm as winter chills the air outside, imagine if you found yourself in the shoes of one of those homeless and how you'd manage.
The economic situation we now find ourselves in as a result of the coronavirus is not going to make that any easier to deal with or make that number any less. In fact all indications are it will grow those figures.
Combine that with a shortfall of social housing properties in this country by some 430,000 then social housing won't be an easily accessible option for many,
Southern Youth and Family Services CEO Narelle Clay says in our story today "we can fix this".
To that we'd say: No. We must fix this.
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