Not too hard to give shelter
HOMELESS IN WINTER
GROSSLY underfunded and overworked charities are working their butts off to find shelter for the homeless. The newspapers are full of simple and inexpensive ideas for dealing with the problem. Some councils are taking useful steps towards a solution. Meantime, the body with real power to fix the issue quickly and cheaply, the State Government, is doing it does best, ignoring it as long as possible and, if forced to, talking about it, but only with the aim of denying responsibility. Imagine some catastrophe that made North Hobart uninhabitable. Surely we would do whatever is necessary: suspend regulations, open halls and public areas, hire motel rooms, etc, to get those people into shelter.
One or two days of serious planning, a sum of money that won’t make a dent in the budget, and a few days work and the homeless will have shelter for the winter. We must make the State Government take responsibility and act!
Answers needed
IT is now that I’m going to blow the whistle for full-time concerning Will Hodgman’s Government’s unfocused inactivity to solve the homelessness of 120-plus souls in Hobart. I’m joining the Mercury to get answers to these questions: Has the Department of Defence been approached to make available the empty single and married quarters at Anglesea Barracks? Has the Health Department been approached to make available the empty floors in the Repatriation Hospital?
Have the church ministers whose churches have been sold, with empty manses and housing and empty halls been contacted to make them available to the homeless? Have the managers of Hobart city hotels and motels been approached to make available unused rooms because occupancy during the non-tourist season is mostly below 50 or 60 per cent? Has the availability of low-cost rental accommodation (less than $200 a week) been assessed, despite the distance from the City of Hobart? It is my right to demand answers to these questions to be provided by Will Hodgman and be published. The whistle has been blown, Will, time’s up.
Suspend infrastructure
THE attitude of this government to the plight of homeless people in our state, the coldest in Australia, beggars belief. Stop all the white noise and do something. Suspend planned infrastructure works and put the money into emergency housing solutions. This crisis is a repeat of last winter, they knew it was coming but have done nothing.
Sue Hickey has an insider’s knowledge to how the government thinks and acts, and if she is of the opinion that they don’t “give a s..t” then I believe her. She is very Council cracks down on cat owners I absolutely agree with the intent but am sceptical about the ability of the council to enforce. They haven’t been able to enforce straying/off-leash dogs which is a much more visible problem. frustrated. Meanwhile, councils are mired in red tape that stops a person living in a caravan with the property owners’ consent. I agree with the Mercury, give them shelter. Now!
Mothball luxuries
WITH the homeless and housing crisis getting worse, the Government and councils need to prioritise to fix these problems. Government and council expenditure on sport, racing and similar luxury pursuits, including pouring money into AFL and the ongoing wish for a Tasmania AFL football team, must be mothballed until more important human issues are addressed. Opposition parties and the public must demand this of the elected government.
Materialistic
THE front page featured three stories that told us that there was a giant inflatable pig representing art, a new fancy-pants hotel that was booked up by those that can afford it and that an extremely enterprising initiative to create a village to house our fellow humans was rejected ( Mercury, June 12). What? It is no wonder that some people find it so hard to find a place in this society. The materialistic, voracious appetite of our state is fast losing sight of compassion, and the humanity that is the essence of community. I applaud those who are trying to turn this around and hope that we never give up pushing against this blatant duplicity.
Galloping ahead
WHO is running the state, Hickey or Hodgman? The voters are starting to feel they pulled the wrong rein.
Aurora in hot water
IS Aurora really serious with its current advertising and suggestions? I always boil my water in the kettle before I put it in the saucepan. Their Launceston customer service adviser tells us their “top energy tips” include “Let the sun dry your clothes” and “instead of an electric blanket, try a hot water bottle”. What next — forget electric cars and get a horse and cart?
Musical marvel
ON a visit to St John’s Hospital I was amazed and moved to find a gentleman named Tony Brennan who is the Director of Mission for Calvary. He was asking chemotherapy patients whether they would like a song and to give a request for same. It was grand to see him playing the guitar and bringing a smile to the patients’ faces. Amazing person.
Cream too watery
WHEN you buy thickened cream, it does not matter what brand, it is now like watered-down cream, unless one buys “dollops of thickened cream”. Cream alone is almost like milk used to be, while milk is again more watery. This is what our governments allow, more sell off on quality as meat prices soar to be sold for overseas.