WE NEED TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS
It was only a couple of columns ago that I wrote about homelessness right across our area. Indeed, in the weeks since, the media has written regularly about homelessness right across NSW, and indeed Australia.
The state of homelessness right now, in this country, is an absolute, catastrophic case of market failure.
People will have their various views about the range of political beliefs as to when/why/how Government should be present. At one end is heavy Government involvement and lots of Government controls on goods and services; at the other end is a free market let-it-rip baby approach!
Hopefully, no matter what our personal politics, we could all agree that people in our advanced wealthy society should be able to have an affordable and respectable roof over our heads.
There are many levers that a Government can pull to make housing more widely available. The decision that they really need to make is whether or not to be active in addressing homelessness. We really must demand more from our Governments, at all 3 levels, if we want to seriously do something about homelessness. .
Let’s start with making homelessness a higher priority that yet another billion dollars for new stadiums for a multi-billion dollar sport.
BARR-BEQUES ARE REACHING ACROSS OUR COMMUNITIES
The return of my community Barr-beques will see me in 17 of our 69 villages in recent and coming weeks. Yes, there are 69 villages and towns across the Electorate of Cessnock.
No doubt some people will be disappointed that I am not having a Barr-beque in their local park, or at a time that matches their other work/life commitments. Can I say with certainty, there is absolutely no way to make the Barr-beque schedule fit perfectly for every person in the Cessnock Electorate, but I am doing my best to be as widely available as possible.
As always, if you have a more specific concern that you would like to discuss, please do call the office and we will find a time to meet/chat/correspond about State issues that are important to you.
Cheers Clayton
