We live in ‘boomtown’ Perth where, because of the resource boom, people are wealthier than they have ever been… apparently. The average income of a West Oz bloke is $1350.00 a week.
But there are plenty for whom the ‘boom’ has only meant a further tightening of the belt.
Grendel shares a bread run with others of us around the local area and his insights here echo my own experience of the last few times.
The poor are still with us.
Hey Hamo,
I’ve noticed this too with homeless people on the streets of Perth. Where it used to be mostly people with drug problems, metal health issues or some other kind of obvious social dysfunction now the range is much wider. One guy I met recently who was sleeping rough had a full time job and apart from a daggy sense of humor was as socially functional as anyone you’d meet. There is a chronic lack of emergency accommodation as well as I suspect other similar services. I worry that if this is a good as it gets and we don’t have the collective political will to help then we never will. Good on ya all for doing the bread distribution.