new fed welfare policies bite hard, page-10

I can feel your pain Dipaha.

My wife works in a group house run
by Carers Australia and many of
the clients she takes care of
are placed in 'respite care'
to give family members
a desperately needed
break from providing
24-hour care seven
days week to relatives
with physical and/or
mental disabilities.

In our own home (due to the incredible
shortage of affordable student digs in
Canberra) we were providing home
stay accommodation to three uni
students from overseas - but the
accommodation officer from
Canberra Uni just phoned -
desperate if we perahps
could take a lad from
China who was minus
anywhere to stay.

Canberra now has the fastest rising
house prices of all capital cities
and the highest rents - and our
emergency accommodation
providers are turning familes
and homeless teenagers away in
droves - meaing they 'couch surf' on
in acquaintances houses with the
obvious risks that entails of paying
rent in non-cash forms!

Welcome to the National Capital of
Australia - but if you're not stinking rich
it may be a good idea to bring your
sleeping bag with you: