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In this Victorian state election Lunchbox/Soapbox, Cath Smith – CEO of the Victorian Council of Social Services – outlines what she sees as the social agenda for this year’s campaign. She singles out affordable housing and access to public transport as key issues affecting struggling citizens, and points to a lack of investment in community sector workers, many of whom are experiencing the same financial stresses as their clients.
Observing some of the hardship that’s been the delayed fallout of the global financial collapse, Smith acknowledges gains made in recent months, and suggests that measures such as expansion of social housing dwellings and bus services linking to rail will take some of the immense pressure off low-waged workers, especially those in the outer suburbs of Melbourne.
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Could you organise a forum on the forest/logging industry that was in the age today.
In lieu of the Tasmanian decision, this would be a worthwhile discussion and would be of interest to many in Melbourne.
sally
12 November at 10:49AM
Unfortunately we're all booked up for events this year, but we may do something on this in the future.
Wheeler Centre
15 November at 02:02PM
As a politically castrated Architect I get so angry when I listen to this bureaucratic babble.
NEWSFLASH. If the battler keeps making large families which they cant afford in the short term they are responsible for their own financial issues. Heard of birth control? When one day they grow up population increases and because Australia's lower socio-economic class demands an ENTITLEMENT of a massively over sized 5x2 'castle' on a 700sqm lot you will get sprawl, you will get congestion, there is NO way to 'FIX' this. Well wishing and talking about it doesn't address Australian's fundamental spatial demands which will, given enough time turn all capital cities into LA or Mexico City. But talking about this society's demands of the right to have a large family and own a project home despite your income, even if you cant afford it is taboo so political apathy becomes a congestion endgame.
The attitude from Urban designers of business as usual uncreative developer driven suburban sprawl with a few token 'new urbanism villages' in trendy areas for yuppies doesn't address anything besides investment return. Because this entire country is run on exponential real estate driven economics again where there is no political interest because everyone wants a cosy 9% per annum for doing nothing except having a mortgage for some bricks and concrete.
So all you get is bitching and moaning about issues which at their very core are un-fixable, Admittedly we are no different to any where else in the world, but we should be because we are smarter than this.
Think about it!
Bartek Klimczak
26 December at 10:12PM