Archive Article: Some Of The Real Aussie Battlers. 15 Nov 02.
December 27, 2008
There is much talk about “Aussie battlers” who have a daily struggle to survive. I have just been reading a wonderful book about some of these genuine Australian heroes.
PP Cranny has edited a book entitled “Lodging: Conversations, Stories, Poems and Images from Sydney’s Street Community”. It is published by Reclink, a network of welfare agencies in inner-city Sydney. Reclink offers recreational opportunities to homeless and disadvantaged people who live or visit the hostels and agencies. Wesley Mission has been involved in this work from the outset and Ruth Polley, of the Mission’s Edward Eager Lodge, is the Chairperson.
All of the articles are either written by homeless people or are interviews of homeless people. They provide a rare insight into the everyday life of homeless people. The articles explain how people become homeless and how they are getting out of their problems.
The nature of homelessness had changed a great deal in recent years. The standard example of the homeless person – the elderly male alcoholic on the park bench – has been joined a wider array of people: younger men, unemployed people, people with a mental illness, women fleeing from domestic violence, and young people. This book has stories of how people became homeless.
For example, Phil at the Matthew Talbot Hostel says: “Even when I was homeless, I didn’t regard myself as homeless because if I had a cardboard box to sleep in, which might be the case sometimes, I still regarded that as my home. And living in squats, old abandoned houses and things, that was my home. I didn’t regard that as being different from someone paying rent. It was a place
where I had a bed and a place to live. A lot of people are described as “homeless” but it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re all out on the street, sleeping rough. Some are, but homelessness is living your life as survival.”
The book also tells of how people are getting their lives back together again – or perhaps for the first time. For example, the book’s last article is an interview with a person called Vicki, who was interviewed at Edward Eager Lodge. We hear a lot about the stolen Black children. There were also stolen White children – state departments of community services that took children away from parents for what the officials saw as their own good. Vicki says she had a range of health problems and was she was treated badly in childhood.
Vicki drifted into a troubled adulthood and homelessness. Eventually she ended up at Edward Eager Lodge. This was a turning point in her life because she was able to get her life into some sort of shape. She also met her future husband, David, at the Lodge. They have been married now for over eight years. They live in their own home and undertake small jobs. They are also involved in church and community activities. She still has health problems but she has a positive attitude. Vicki and David represent a success story of the type of work being done to assist homeless people.
It is very easy to assume that people who are homeless are destined to remain homeless. Some unfortunately do so. But others are able to escape from it.
These are the real heroes of Australian society: people who encounter major problems in their lives and then overcome them.
Broadcast On Friday 15th November 2002 On Radio 2GB’s “Brian Wilshire Programme” At 9pm.