Hard life for Australia's homeless

Hard life for Australia's homeless: "'The turn away rate for people (at) homeless shelters is horrific,' Mr Rudd told Australian television."

It's actually reassuring to have a Prime Minister who cares about the same things as we do and who is capable of compassion. Kevin Rudd gets the information and then acts on it and it appears to be in consultation with his team and with the community. It's not about telling us what is good for us and then making unilateral decisions. It's nice having co operation and a willingness to be collaborative which comes form the top. It gives me hope the age of mean spiritedness is gone and will be replaced by something which will give us hope and a capacity to move forward together. Togetherness is about inclusion and there have already be some enlightened people who have done things like the Choir of Hard Knocks and the restauranteur ,Jeff Gambin, who has managed his projects of getting the homeless fed , watered and engaged in life. From little acorns great oaks grow and it helps not one bit to sit back self satisfied and condemn and criticise. It's about finding the ways and means of getting people back on the bus. back into life. Back into society. We are as strong as our weakest link and homelessness has been an issue which has grown and has been ignored because we have been smug. Well, for everyone on the street, there is a drain to our economy, our society, our creativity, our community. People are special and have a spot in life. it oughtn't to be on the street even though it might be part of their life's journey and learning curve to end up there. If they are abandoned and disengaged we need to get them up and running because most of them become top contributors and many of them have a lot of talent. There are all sorts of reasons for being homeless and we need to look at that in a sensible fashion and then find the schemes and the people who can bring these people back into the mainstream. We have a lot to gain.