Short Post, but first - Housekeeping - Holy instant feedback Batman...the answer to Friday's question 'My Paranoia vs My Ego' or 'An Epic Fail'...as put to me is...the envelope please...drrrrrrrrrtish...'An Epic Fail', congratulations...(cue canned applause and welling music)...
(Voice over) 'An Epic Fail' is a collaborative effort, brought to you by the totally self-involved Liberal bloc that runs Council, produced by Mt Gambier City Council, and starring the Mayor Steve Perryman and CEO Mark McShane with cameos from other Council staff and/or Councillors...
I note that I have attended all 4 'Budget Consultation' meetings thus far, and despite Mayor Perryman's repeated attempts to 'pick a fight' with me, and my lengthy exchanges with others, my name has not appeared in The Border Watch. I'm not sure where TBW's Graham Greenwood gets his info from when he writes with such authority about what happens at these meetings, because I believe that he has not attended one...
Also, yes I am aware that Antarctica is a continent and therefore my blog is not being read on literally every continent, but I believe that any 'hits' there would go via a server elsewhere, eg, Australia...cheers...
Slightly repetitive post, but I would like to acknowledge the support I receive from the society I live in, the life of relative luxury I have 'inherited' simply for being born a white man in a stolen land...(ooo, there's some ugly, blatant politicing if ever I read it-Ed)...yes, well, Australia's recent history is ugly on a good day...
To my credit, I genuinely believe that my attitude and behaviour has served me well in a system that has openly acknowledged that it is not structured to deal with people like me. As put to me...'we are geared to deal with those outside of main stream society, but you are a relatively sane, relatively able-bodied, white man and society is completely stuctured to serve your wants and needs...we literally don't have a place for you in the Social Security System...'
That is; our entire society is stuctured to cater for 'normal' white men and if you are one but don't fit into that paradigm, there is no place for you to go...I continue to live this...
I receive the Disability Support Pension (see previous posts) and am a Housing Trust tenant at my current address since February 2003. My total benefit/income is just under $800 per fortnight, including rent support.
Sounds like a lot, but it is still marginally under the December 2012 'Poverty Line' criteria (Melbourne University) for a single person not working with no dependents (check the Interweb). In a 'Global Poverty' context it is a small fortune.
From that goes $290 in rent, and I am on a sole income; all my bills and utilities, etc, have to be paid in full from that...this is a common and massive hurdle for people, eg, elderly widows, who find themselves going from two incomes that spreads the load of bills, etc, down to one income from which it all has to come.
Up to November 2011, I was on various forms of 'Newstart Allowance' which is approx $90 per week less than the DSP...it is a ludicrously low payment that doesn't cover even basic expenses...I was constantly 'borrowing'* (with no genuine way to repay) from my family to pay basic bills, and in early 2010 had to cash in what little Superannuation I had to purchase, register, and insure a car...luxury...
Even with the DSP, the basic running costs for my little car are effectively unaffordable, and I continue to 'borrow*' occsaionally from my family. Nor is there any allowance for the fact that I am a reasonably big person and need to spend more on food, clothing, etc.
*I can't imagine what people do when they don't have family to turn to for support...(have no car for starters I would suggest, and then do without other things beside-Ed)...indeed...
When I accepted this three bedroom homette in February 2003, I had not seen it but was 'homeless' having been evicted by LJ Hooker Mt Gambier...(charming people to deal with)...because of issues with threatening behaviour of alcoholic tenants in other units...because it was easier, I was the one who LJ Hooker evicted...
Fortunately I had registered with the Housing Trust in 1997/8(?) and was offered a couple of places that I was advised not to take because of the problematic neighbours, obviously well known to locals. It was suggested to me that this was/is standard procedure from the Housing Trust to get these properties occupied by blissfully ignorant outsiders because locals won't live next to these people.
I respectfully declined on those very grounds...'I'm being advised to not move in there because...'...and moved to the Blue Lake Caravan Park, etc, but this meant that I was high on the 'Waiting List' by February 2003, and the 'Eviction' combined with 'Contact Commitments' with my child, saw me moved to the 'Emergency List' and then offered this place.
I have not broken one single thing in ten years, and when things do break, eg the hot water system, they have been almost immediately repaired or replaced, and the Housing Trust has allowed me to completely landscape the garden, eg, plant fruit trees, which means that after 10 years my actions have actually greatly increased the value of the property (current market conditions aside).
This is because I am genuinely grateful and genuinely respectful...and it has worked in my favour I'm sure.
Also, I have repeatedly engaged with SAPol, Familys SA, and the Housing Trust re the passing parade of 'domestic violence tenants' being cycled through the property over my rear fence. I raised this issue with my Councillor 'I feel like I'm being used as un-official security for these women and/or children because authorities know I will intervene and call police, etc..'
He assured me that I'm not the only one in this area who does call the police...yay...
In my own defence, on the DSP and residing in a Housing Trust property, in Mt Gambier, is not where I was headed in early 1997 working full-time in Adelaide with a 'house deposit' in the bank. When my ex-partner moved back to Mt Gambier with our child, I spent the next 18 months sleeping in my car, on friends floors, etc.
Technically I was homeless for most of the 10 years up to moving here in February 2003, because I was house-sitting, etc, in Adelaide, then living basically in my Courier van, and then nearly four years in a caravan, etc, but I never considered myself homeless because to me that meant sleeping under a bush somewhere, etc.
After moving here completely in late 1998 I was working full-time as a courier when I was approached by the Gambier Hotel who offered me a 'Full-time job', but then 'Illegally' dismissed me only three months later which destroyed my future employability in Mt Gambier. I will do a specific post re this issue.
There is no wriggle room; no grounds for dissent; no debate to be had; it is an unchallengeable reality that the sense of guilt and indebtedness that I carry re this support, has made me, has driven me to be more committed to act more responsibly and with more focus and energy.
I am taken by a deep and abiding guilt when I see people who can't get wheelchairs for years, etc, and it fuels my rage at people like Premiers Mike Rann and Jay Whetherill squandering billions on ludicrous projects like the Adelaide Oval and New Royal Adelaide Hospital, etc, whilst Health and/or Disability services do not receive basic funding...
Whilst there are always problems with any massive bureaucracy and some will have other ideas about them, in my life experience, the Housing Trust is the greatest 'landlord' ever.
I fully support a society that supports it's entire population, regardless. That is the society that I want. Make personal responsiblity and altruism a desirable statement of strength, not an inconvenient weakness.
When placed on the DSP I didn't kick back and have a holiday, I put the pedal to the metal and welded it there...boots and all, if not death or glory...I am Nick Fletcher and this is my blog...
Tomorrow: City Council's Final 'Budget Consultation'
...this should be fun...
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