| Home Archived by the National Library of Australia Homeless Hot Gossip 15 Latest 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Oldest Fan Mail Send your latest insights to [email protected] Messages posted from 9 June 2009 to present The most recent message appears at the top. Last Posting Saturday 17 October 2009 Latest Guest Book Entries 12 October 2009 Skippy Guest Book Archive Helping the "homeless" Do you ever wonder how so many millions of dollars have been spent "helping the homeless" yet many people still live in the city parklands? Some people prefer living outside while others are forced to do so because they can't meet the stringent and intrusive conditions of welfare housing. So why not help these people living outside by giving them mosquito nets for the summer; and corflute (plastic cardboard) ground sheets to protect them from cold and wet? It would be very cheap and alleviate much suffering. No bureaucrats would need to be employed for the task as the items could be distributed from the Magdalene Centre and the three main homeless centres. This won't happen because there is a war against the homeless. Reducing "homelessness" is about making the city look nicer for richer people and foreign students. Alleviating suffering of those living outside goes against this. 17 October 2009 The Falcon at the State Library The Falcon and two friends - the red haired man and the other guy with a beanie half covering his face - were waiting with sixty or seventy others for the State Library doors to open. It had rained cold during the night and the three of them looked as if they had spent it outside. They had that chilled look. Each was burdened with baggage: the Falcon was pulling a huge black suitcase, another of them had a large stripped "Derro" bag and the third, from memory, had a number of smaller bags. After the doors opened the guards upstairs gave the three men the hard stare. "How's it going guys?" one asked, adding, "You can't leave your gear here." Other library customers were checking in their bags, but the bags of the Falcon and the other two were too big to pass over the counter. Bags that "homeless" people use. "Are you using the library?" the guard asked. "Yes," said one of the three. The guard asked the same question again and got the same answer. He then opened the door and the three hauled their stuff inside. Then they went to their favourite section of the library: the comfortable chairs that replaced the Apple computers that were removed to save the government money. Two hours later they were still there. State libraries around Australia have a history of allowing one corner, or one row of desks, to be used by the most disadvantaged people in the community - in this case, people living outside. A small act of mercy. 15 October 2009 Police moral behaviour "The moral behaviour of the police should be investigated. After being charged with 'Behaving in an offensive manner in a public place', I've had one police officer openly admit to me that he will lie in court while another officer in the room didn't blink an eye. The charge was regarding the content of a placard protesting the large numbers of children killed or maimed during the Israeli attack into Gaza last January. If the police do this to an old, disabled man without a criminal background you can imagine what they do to others.� 14 October 2009 Work Cover, Medical checks and Police Clearances creating disadvantage Once upon a time people with medical disabilities or criminal backgrounds could get work by hiding these from their future employers. But in this era of reduced privacy anyone with medical problems is excluded from the workforce, often for insurance reasons. The requirement of a Police Clearance for many jobs excludes people with both minor and major criminal backgrounds. The breaking down of privacy firewalls in computers makes if difficult for people to hide things from employers. This creates a permanent unemployable group. The "Gang of 49" and other excluded groups know they'll never enjoy the benefits of good careers or decent housing. They know they will spend their lives on welfare, being pushed around by HousingSA and Centrelink. It's logical that they act as they do. Going to prison is like a family reunion, a badge of honour. 13 October 2009 Crazy Dave up to his old tricks Social inclusion commissioner "Crazy Dave" Cappo is up to his old tricks. He calls for longer prison terms for the Aboriginal "Gang of 49". What can the gang expect in prison? Prison for young men involves lots of anal searches. They're forced to wear skimpy summer prison clothing resembling that worn by "gay" men hanging around public toilets. Prisoners are frequently forced or coerced into using damaging and addictive psychiatric drugs - in part, as a controlling device to make the management of overcrowded prisons easier. The key element to being a prisoner is indignity with most personal privacy removed. Meanwhile, there hasn't been an open inquiry as to how "Crazy Dave's" church managed to get prime city land, the old tram barn site, for at least a million dollars below market value. The deal was done under the counter. There should also be an enquiry about doctors legally introducing children and teenagers to addictive drugs via prescriptions. Blaming the bikies and Underbelly types distracts us as to where young people get their first taste of drugs. Do they do it legally or illegally? The "Gang of 49" is a symptom of social and political malaise and "Crazy Dave" shouting in the media for longer prison sentences does little more than earn him his salary. 12 October 2009 Whacko, no laughing matter A woman was �whacked� at the Hutt Street Centre a couple of weeks ago. The assailant got a two-week ban. The same thing might have landed a person a one-month ban at WestCare though accusing paid staff of theft there gets a year or more. 6 October 2009 Starvation Army�s mixed message Last Saturday�s free meal at the Salvation Army in Hutt Street was described as excellent. The meal happens just a few times a year and there might be another before Christmas. It is recommended. 6 October 2009 The Life and Death of Brian Shepherd Brian Shepherd died last month. He was known throughout Adelaide�s UFO and esoteric circles. This included the group run by Colin Norris, also recently deceased. About thirty people attended Brian�s funeral. Many more would have been there but didn�t know that he�d passed away. Brian was just over sixty. Carmel Sander�s, arguably Adelaide�s leading Huna practitioner, spoke in praise of Brian saying that when she was down and out it was Brian, rather than her more illustrious colleagues, that remembered her. She also said she�d once received a huge amount of cash in her post box, but couldn�t discover its source. She used a small portion on a holiday interstate then saved the rest. A year later Brian said to her in passing that he�d sent a parcel of cash somewhere but couldn�t remember where. Carmel lifted her mattress. They�d both laughed at that. The holiday was on Brian. Brian had a habit of driving around Asian countries. He was fearless. People were cruel to Brian. He was often socially inept and encumbered by medication. Once he�d arranged to move into a share house. The other party had agreed. He would move in on a Saturday morning. But when Brian arrived with friends and a big truck holding his furniture and stuff he discovered the residence was locked. His new house mates were out for the day and had left a note on the front door that read: �We�ve changed our mind, Brian.� Yet Brian was respected for his perseverance and kindness. One friend at the funeral remembered these facts from Brian Shepherd�s life: 1. claims for contacts to UFO's 2. love of classical music 3. played a clarinet sometimes 4. perfect photography 5. driving ability and moving service ("Moron Moving") 6. visits to Washington and ex-Indonesian President Suharto 7. associations with the paranormal community 8. tragedies earlier in life to include hit by auto as 6 year old school child and resulting brain damage 9. dreaming or dreamtime activities similar to Jimmy James 10. probable "schizophrenia" 11. possible death by official psycho drugs 2 October 2009 Bernie up the creek Someone knocked off Bernard Scanlon�s bicycle and trailer in Bakersfield, California. He�s stranded in some homeless joint there. Bernie is riding a bicycle across the United States to raise money for HIV babies in Thailand. This makes sense as in � �They shoot horses, don�t they?� Bernie is also connected to St Lukes at Whitemore Square. He might be at the Christmas lunch at St Lukes. His website is http://bikingbernie.blogspot.com/ He wouldn�t mind money sent to his bank account for him personally for food but this should go to his personal account rather than the HIV baby account. I�m not sure what his account number is. It was mentioned on Peter Goers�s program on ABC radio station 5AN. They should know. 1 October 2009 Just for the record Elia Giorgio, Evangelia Lambis and Robyn Garbett are unpaid workers at Fred's Van in Gawler Court. 28 September 2009 "Atrocious Lies" It has been reported that that the WestCare cook recently stood in front of a Baptist church meeting and referred to the "atrocious lies" said about her. She was referring to accusations of WestCare homeless centre food deliveries from FoodBank diverted to her private residence. WestCare management didn't question her accusers but instead expelled or encouraged them to leave the organisation. Jane was considered a more valuable and upstanding member than her accusers who were mostly homeless scene clients and work-for-the-dole "volunteers". Therefore, it was deemed that no inquiry was necessary. Jane is now reported to be travelling overseas with the church choir. 28 September 2009 Jennifer Rankine up to her old tricks The Adelaide CBD "Rough Sleepers" count was done on 11 August 2009. The published results still aren't available and won't be for some time despite it being a very simple count. The results could have been published within one week but the government waits until the statistics are old before letting the public analyse the results. They delay giving the public full access because the results may not reflect favourably on the government's social inclusion initiatives. However, if there are favourable aspects in the results they selectively promote these via the Minister of Housing or Land Broker Monsignor David Cappo. This seems like political corruption when the government uses taxpayer funded surveys to collect information to promote itself. 24 September 2009 Big Brother surveillance centre Two underclass men went to Hutt Street last week for the two-dollar meal. One man forgot his health care card and they wouldn't serve him food until he completed a special form requiring his personal details, which were then entered on Hutt Street's data base that is remotely accessible by who knows what government departments. The Daughters of Charity nuns would be rolling in their graves if they could see what has happened to their mission. It isn't known what the nuns not yet in their grave think of these changes. 24 September 2009 John Klomp John Klomp has told journalist Emily Charrison that what people at Fred's Van need is not more food but long-term affordable housing. At the very least, he says, we need a place to eat "in dignity" rather than on the roadside. From "Cold fact of being destitute" by Emily Charrison in the Eastern Courier Messenger of September 16, 2009. Of course, the highlight of the article was a colour picture of PJ getting a Styrofoam cup filled with soup. While the rest of us move in and out of the homeless scene PJ remains year after year, showing that he has the �real stuff�. Posted 22 September 2009 Cappo's empty words How can it be that after all the money so far spent on "homelessness" there are still people sleeping in the city parklands who want to be living inside. Is it a shortage of housing or because the bureaucrats have put such humiliating conditions on rental accommodation that people are forced from self-respect to continue living outside? 22 September 2009 Court case adjourned The "Behaving in an offensive manner" charge against a homeless man was adjourned until 30 November, 2009 despite the man entering a "not guilty" plea and wanting the trial to go ahead. The magistrate said he wanted the defendant to enter into discussions with the police prosecutor. The defendant said he already had, but the prosecutor in court said this had not occurred. Later in the day the defendant phoned the prosecutor to discuss the matter but they refused to discuss anything saying he had to put everything in writing. The "offensive behaviour" charge was made because last January the man held a placard on the side of the road at Norwood that said, "Is Gaza Auschwitz-lite?" on one side and on the other side was a picture of the Israeli flag with a red swastika in the middle. He said he did this in response to the high number of Gaza children burnt and maimed during the Israeli attack in January, 2009. Bill, the organiser for the homeless legal service said he would get a lawyer to deal with the prosecutor. All opinions are that the magistrate doesn't want such a small charge to go to trial. The defendant wants a trial so he can formally accuse the reporting police officer of lying and the police of prosecuting a case only because the defendant wrote a letter to police Commissioner Malcolm Hyde asking for his placard back. He intends on calling Hyde as a witness. An unpleasant aspect of the case was that when the defendant took the stand last week a court sheriff snuck in a back door, slammed it shut then stood extremely close behind the defendant. Like at those public urinals near St Peters Cathedral where "funny guys" appear from nowhere and stand so close behind that if you make the slightest move you back into them, which seems to be what they want. The above is the defendant's version and should be taken as part of the truth, but not the whole truth. 21 September 2009 Ex-politician warns charity outfits about government interference "Non-government agencies must avoid becoming mere arms of government or quasi public service agencies where independence, community connections and control and voice for justice are compromised." Lynn Arnold, former Premier of South Australia and now boss of Anglicare. He could have been giving advice to Hutt Street Centre, Byron Place and WestCare. Taken from Adelaide Advertiser newspaper of 19 September, 2009 Posted 21 September, 2009 Keeping evil hidden Mike Rann describes David Cappo as �fiercely independent�. Andrew Holman in the Saturday Adelaide Advertiser of 19 September, 2009 says David is �dismayed at the breaches of human rights at Magill Youth Training Centre." [The prison for teenagers] What are these abuses? Why doesn�t David Cappo, who has access to the joint, tell the public what is happening there? Things like excessive strip searches of teenagers whose aberrant behaviour was caused from being sexually abused. By keeping the details quiet isn�t David simply supporting those who do wrong? Isn�t he protecting institutional processes that might be described as evil? Isn�t he behaving similarly to wealthy schools when students told the principals of sexual abuse by teachers and chaplains? Instead, we hear David Cappo calling for the Magill prison to be demolished and the land sold to developers. Then he wants the prison rebuilt near those truck stops at Cavan, away from the fresh air of Magill and its edifying views. How can demolishing the buildings stop human abuses caused by staff and institutional processes? It seems the same old David Cappo, calling for the removal of underclass people from high value real estate areas under the pretext of helping them. No wonder the Adelaide Advertiser praises to the hilt Monsignor Social Inclusion Commissioner David Cappo. 19 September 2009 �Child lover� back on Hindley Street Thief, thug and con artist, John Green from Barmera was recently seen towing two children down Hindley Street. The person who saw them estimates their ages at 3 and 5. Green�s modus operandi is to express to strangers his great love for his children then claim he needs money, money, money to make things better for them. He requests large temporary loans then turns quite nasty when asked to repay them. One source says he gets welfare housing by claiming he needs numerous bedrooms for when his �children� visit. 17 September 2009 Information Sought Information is sought about an Adelaide hairdresser who died of HIV-AIDS and who might have gone by the name �Ferris Trabilsky� or something sounding like that. He was reputedly �Mr B�, who informed on Bevan Spender von Einem. Thanks to information supplied in response to previous requests. 11 September 2009 The blind spot Most prisoners are underclass men and Aboriginal men. Prison routine involves lots of anal searches: squatting over mirrors and digital searches. Many are unnecessary like when a prisoner meets a visitor or lawyer behind solid class. What is the reason for the anal search then? About one-third of longer term prisoners are practicing homosexuals. Shower privacy and security is limited. Two men are crammed into a cell designed for one person. Clothing often involves stubby shorts and tight shirts, like the kind homosexuals use during the summer. Ritual homosexual threat is an institutionalised feature of prison life. You�d think Monsignor David Cappo would be sensitive to this situation considering that he�s paid to be the Social Inclusion Commissioner. You�d think he would be sensitive to this considering that he�s advocated and pressured arms of government to imprison more Aboriginal young men from the �Gang of 48�. You�d think he�d be more sensitive considering having been around celibate men who might have strayed from the righteous path. There is a blind spot somewhere in his consciousness and concern. 10 September 2009 Moneyed Catholics gunning for Father Bob Maguire The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne has told South Melbourne parish priest, Bob Maguire, to resign and given him just over a month to get out of his church accommodation. Bob has spent decades helping people in the homeless culture. The church hierarchy say he is too old at 75, but where can a replacement be found with such a dearth of priests. Perhaps they�d feel more comfortable without nobody there. Church organisations are easier to take over when you get rid of the clergy. Just look at Hutt Street Centre. Maybe that is what they want to do with Bob Maguire�s parish. And after decades of service they�re kicking him out like some scumbag. Bob shares a Sunday night radio program on Triple J with John Saffron. Bob�s Blog http://www.fatherbob.com.au/ Yahoo report on Bob's dismissal http://livenews.com.au/entertainment/catholic-church-asks-father-bob-maguire-to-resign/2009/9/7/218571 9 September 2009 Street Swag Give-away in Britain �Waterproof beds that fold into a bag� are being given away to people living outside in Britain. They were �invented� by a Brisbane woman, Jean Madden. 12,000 have been distributed to date. That is what we need in Australia, lightweight swags. Blankets given away by charities are okay but rarely suitable for a decent night�s sleep. 8 September 2009 More information sought Freddy Everitt ran Adelaide�s only homosexual brothel in the 1990�s and specialised in �young boys�. He had a property outside Swan Reach that was near a property used by perverts associated with Bevan Spencer von Einem�s crowd. Everitt died a few years ago from leukaemia. His wife was a former �sex worker� who along with her daughter were raped by Bradley Murdoch, who was later convicted of killing Peter Falconio. The information requested is for a private investigation hoping to locate von Einem�s associates. So far, everyone I�ve spoken to about this begins shouting warnings. Anyone knowing anything about Freddy Everitt please contact Norm at [email protected] All sources kept confidential, even in court. 8 September 2009 That strange situation A paid non-disabled employee of the disability joint I go to in the Western suburbs always parks her red car in the organisation�s only disability parking space despite knowing that I visit on a certain day of the month and have a disability parking permit. I have to park out on the street. I�ve told them, informally, over and over but it makes no difference. Even the toilets have a big sign saying they�re for employees only even though us disabled financial members and clients visit the building frequently. There appears a policy to drive disabled people from the building and meet them only in coffee shops. It�s a disabled joint that runs best without disabled people being there because most employees work in the charity call centre from which most of their income goes into paying themselves and three or four other employees who are mostly involved with paperwork. 5 September 2009 Information Requested Information is sought about the whereabouts of Garry Wayne Place; Mr �B�; the eastern suburbs businessman; the doctor; and the transvestites who used to live at Alberton where Bevan Spencer von Einem used to take the drugged out boys and young men. All sources kept confidential. Norm [email protected] 4 September 2009 The significance of �Supported Tenancies� About one-third of all new tenancies in HousingSA are �Supported Tenancies�. This means getting to rent a property requires the new tenant to agree to various rehabilitation programs and home visits by welfare people. It also means signing away privacy rights allowing some organisation to tap into what other organisations know about you. �Supported Tenancies� mean that large numbers on the waiting list have suddenly developed disabilities and �issues� that need addressing by welfare workers. For many people, this is the only way of getting a cheap rental property: by becoming a professional invalid. Becoming a professional invalid means higher welfare payments and all kinds of subsidies. This is good though morally it doesn�t seem right. It also increases the cost of housing each tenant because all these new welfare and rehabilitation workers that tap into new tenants� lives cost money to keep ticking over. The winners are the welfare bureaucracies, not so much the lowly paid workers but those at the top who, as their organisations grow, they command higher executive salaries. This, of course, is a biased slant from the �homeless� perspective. We hear of new money going into �homeless� welfare but still see the same low grade food served at �homeless� places, and still sit on the same ripped, dirty seats. 3 September 2009 Housing in Focus Latest published Housing Trust statistics - already one year old Housing Trust (HousingSA) Statistics for the 2007-8 season. Incredibly, after much delay they've finally been released by the Minister for Housing, Jennifer Rankine. It's sad reading. Homeless Housing allocations to the 'homeless' dropped from 466 in 2006-7 to 324 in 2007-8. p14 Supported Tenancies jumped from 1084 to 1123. Supported tenancies are allocated to those classed as "'homeless'" or at risk of 'homelessness'". This means tenants must agree to certain medical treatments and rehabilitation programs involving home visits. p16 Boarding Houses Boarding Houses remained the same with 14 establishments containing 287 beds. p17 Hotels Hotel/Motel accommodation for those escaping domestic violence rose from 522 to 579. p22 Old Farts 31.5% of tenants are over 65. p25 No sex, thanks. We're HousingSA tenants. Couples occupy 15% of tenancies while 57.4% of tenants are officially single and a further 19.6% are single parents. This is partly explained because it can be cheaper for a couple to rent two HousingSA dwellings rather than live together in one. This happens because as total household income rises the percentage of that income charged as rent also rises. When you also take into account that two separate welfare payments combined are higher than the couples rate then it doesn't pay for two people to live in one dwelling. p25 Women's HousingSA 56.7% of single tenants are women and 86.5% of single parent tenants are women. p26 This means two out of three tenants are female. New Applications 49.62% of new applications are from people aged 25-44. p26 The Incredible Shrinking Waiting List The housing Waiting List dropped from 27,979 in 2006-7 to 26,828 in 2007-8. p26 Of those on the waiting list: Category 1 had 4983, up from 16.43% to 18.57% of total. p27 Category 2 had 6411, up from 22.59% to 23.90% of total. p27 Category 3 had 15,043, down from 59.59% to 56.07% of total. p27 Continued Sell-off of properties Housing Allocations dropped from 3820 to 2848 due to continued sell-off of houses and units. HousingSA describes it thus: "Competing priorities for vacant properties." p28 Who got the houses? There were 1955 new allocations from Category 1; 474 from category 2 and 416 from category 3. p29 Don't start loading the furniture onto the truck With 15,043 in Category 3 and with an annual housing rate of 416 from that category it would take 36 years on the waiting list to get housing. Total current tenancies Total current tenancies were 47,837, down from 48,759 the previous year. p30 Total housing stock was 50,357, down from 51,241. p45 This means about 5%, or one in twenty houses and flats were left empty. Average Household Income It was $349 for new tenants in public housing and $425 for Community Housing. (Community Housing means church housing associations, housing co-operatives, etc). Housing Types 35% detached houses 50% semi-detached (you hear stuff through the walls) 10% cottage flats (Mickey Mouse) 5% flats (welcome to Hell) Rental stock numbers since 1938 p 80-1 1938 - 84 1969 - 31,202 1992 - 63,022 2008 - 45,819 Download Housing in Focus This gets you to the Department of Families and Communities publications page then click on Housing in Focus 2007-8. http://www.dfc.sa.gov.au/pub/tabId/256/itemId/1256/moduleId/1063/Housing-SA-publications.aspx Rec Link Allegations Rec Link is a government funded outfit run out of the YMCA in Seaton, near West Lakes. Two women from there came to my disability organisation urging us to use their free service. They said, for instance, that if one of us wanted to do a free Photoshop course then they�d look around finding such an event. Or we could ask for caving for disabled people; or cross stitching, whatever, and they�d look around for it. That�s what they�re paid to do. So I completed their application form but after a month heard nothing. Then I emailed the address on the application form, but that made no difference. I figure Rec Link is a scam where people get government money to go around promoting a service that hardly exists. We need a corruption investigator in South Australia. So many government welfare joints exist mostly for the employees, with only token services provided to the clients who are often kept around the office for window dressing and little else. 29 August 2009 Night Train The Celebrity Can Collector says they�re still serving sausages and hot dogs at Night Train on Saturdays. Night Train is Coastlands Fred�s Van that has moved its Saturday meal from Gawler Court to the old Night Train building. But the Collector says they�re also serving other good stuff making the Night Train meal superior than that provided by the Starvation Army and Vinnies at Gawler Court. The Collector says Coastlands will soon be serving full meals, making their effort even more superior than that of the Army. 28 August 2009 Irony It�s ironical that Krusher Karl risked his personal well-being to threaten others against criticising WestCare then himself got kicked out of WestCare for a month. 28 August 2009 Compo for former Wards of the State The homeless scene has many people who were wards of the state and who were maltreated at various church and government institutions. The government is reluctantly offering compensation to former wards of the state for physical and psychological injuries suffered in these places. There is a small rush of homeless people to no win, no pay legal firms to cash in on this compensation scheme after one woman recently got over half a millions dollars compo. 28 August 2009 Relax The woman invited the shy, older man for a dance at the next social evening. She has all the best intentions. �Do you think she�ll kick me in the nuts?� he asked me. �Probably,� I replied. 27 August 2009 Housing in Focus Jennifer Rankine has released �Housing in Focus� but it won�t be available on the DFC website for awhile because those who upload it are currently sick and off work. 21 August 2009 Night Train Reports coming in indicate confusion at Fred�s Van on Saturday nights because Coastlands provides food at Light Square near Night Train instead of their usual place at Gawler Court, off Gawler Place. 21 August 2009 Starvation Army The Salvation Army is pushing for more money to, amongst other things, purchase more property. They�re notorious for proving the smallest amounts of food at Fred�s Van. Their Australian assets are probably worth between two and three billion dollars making them one of the largest corporations in the country. Coastlands has also been accused recently of providing much less food than before. 21 August 2009 Today/Tonight The Channel Seven current affairs program, Today/Tonight, recently set up cameras above charity clothing bins. They caught people stealing the clothing. This is pretty scummy behaviour but it should be noted that the charities sell the best donated clothing at whatever the market can bear then using the profits to pay store managers and other charity employees including the executives. The rubbish clothing they can�t sell is given away for free at their welfare depots. 21 August 2009 Media Mike and political deception Last year the Premier, Media Mike, said the selling off of part of Glenside Hospital would be matched by the redevelopment of what was left over � meaning, new hospital buildings. The government now says that due to the economic downturn the improvement of hospital facilities will be delayed for a few years, but the selling off will happen right away. Simply, more trickery by a deceptive government. 19 August 2009 Continued political corruption Jennifer Rankine, the Minister of Housing, still won�t release the 2007-2008 Housing in Focus report on the Housing Trust (HousingSA). It might have cost $50,000 to produce yet she won�t allow it released to the public. Holding back taxpayer funded reports that don�t see the light of day until they�re outdated is political corruption. Housing in Focus is usually released in March each year. We need an independent corruption authority that investigates this and similar political practices. 19 August 2009 "Don't try to infiltrate the gay crowd, not even for an interview. You know where you'll end up. Dead. They're evil." Response for information from an insider about 'The Family' murders and Bevan Spender von Einem. 17 August 2009 Rumours A new suspect for smashing the windscreen of the Celebrity Can Collector's car is a white guy named ****. Krusher Karl was previously named but now there is increased doubt it was he. The Starvation Army is thinking of providing lunch at Pirie Street every month instead of every three months as it does now. The Coastlands Christian Church meal at Fred's Van on Saturday was described as 'no good': "wishy-washing mushroom soup (not good like the Moore Street van at Hurtle Square) and a couple of hot dogs." There is a rumour going around that Coastlands might buy the "Night Train" building at Light Square. The fruit salad at the Magdalene Centre on Saturday was described as "magical, worth killing for." The casserole was okay, but not worth killing for. Buns have been discontinued, a source says, because someone got sick. 10 August 2009 May 2009 Homeless Count (better late than never) Months ago Land Broker Monsignor David Cappo said that the May 2009 Adelaide homeless count showed just 53 people sleeping outside in the Adelaide metropolitan area. This was down from 59 the previous August. The count was based on people visiting Byron Place, Hutt Street or WestCare on one day in May or being spotted by Street-to-Home on that day. Other factors in the count were: 1) the number of people surveyed dropped from 291 in August 2008 to 258 in May 2009. 2) those refusing to answer survey questions rose from 32 to 35. 3) when the 53 who sleep outside were asked where else they'd lived over the past 12 months just one said in a hospital and 3 in prison. 4) 8 of the 53 said they slept in the suburbs as distinct from the CBD and North Adelaide. Conclusions: 1) the Land Broker's claim that many "homeless" people are criminals and psychiatric patients isn't born out by the survey results. Though to be fair it is possible that many respondents didn�t answer the question accurately. 2) The rise from 32 to 35 of those refusing to answer the survey may partially negate the reduction from 59 to 53 of those identifying as sleeping outside. 3) Business is dropping for the three homeless centres and Street-to-home. Other factors are that WestCare opens at 11:30am, which virtually negates it as being a "homeless centre". The Magdalene Centre and Fred's Van aren't involved in the count, both of which play a major role in the lives of people living outside. The Otherway Centre in St Peters and half a dozen places in Semaphore and Port Adelaide aren't involved in the count, either. The homeless count concentrates on high value real estate areas. Let's hope Jennifer Rankine, Minister for Housing releases the homeless count right away instead of waiting for the Land Broker to do the running in the media then freezing the report's release for two months. 5 August 2009 Clients miss meal Today/Tonight grubs went to Fred's Van last Friday evening, flashing their camera lights. Some clients not wanting to be on TV left without having a meal. It isn't known whether the grubs were invited by the Starvation Army or that they just turned up. One man said missing the meal was no loss since the Army were serving those red "hot dogs" that are "full of shit", as the man described them. The sandwiches ran out before everyone got one. 3 August 2009 Krusher Karl kicked out of WestCare Reports filtered through last week that Private Investigator Krusher Karl had been kicked out of WestCare for one month. Details are sketchy but it appears Krusher discovered the milk jug next to the Spokes Di Bacco coffee machine was empty. He sought a refill from "Junior" in the kitchen, but there was some problem with Stuart Clarke and Richard "the buzzard" Hawke. Coffee was either spilt on the buzzard or on Krusher Karl. Anyway, Stuart and "the buzzard" kicked Karl out because Karl allegedly expressed "anger". Karl is the -ex of the busted leg cook who can't get WorkCover because she bust her leg at home and not at work. Krusher might have been the victim of a Star Chambre operated by a secret fraternity. Star Chambres accuse, judge and pass sentence without the accused being aware it has happened - except the execution part, but the accused still doesn't learn from where the attacks originated. This means the milk episode might have been staged. 3 August 2009 �Of course it�s corrupt. How could it be otherwise?� a social worker talking about the HousingSA (Housing Trust) opaque waiting list. 28 July 2009 Skippy's electric dreams? "Ive returned to sort out the bullshit Skippy is saying. I didn't tazer him. I hit him once. He fell & snapped his leg. He has to lie or admit he was beaten by a small, old man." Peter C. 27 July 2009 That Don Fellow - a good cook, but his managerial skills might do for an upgrade Rumour has it that Don, the replacement for the busted leg cook, has discouraged "Ricky" so much that he has left to concentrate his unpaid work at Teen Challenge. This is terrible for WestCare because "Ricky" is a stalwart and a management loyalist to the extent he won't provide inside information to this website. He's has a good personality, too, as long as you don't make him angry. Then watch out. 25 July 2009 Good Food Reports from WestCare say the food has never been so good. One Thursday's roast was described by one client as the best he's ever had. Oh, cruel, rumour. 25 July 2009 This website got it wrong That rumour that George, George of the Jasmin was putting everyone on liquid rations and bread was untrue. Last week we were back on solids. My reliable source said: "I don't know where these rumours come from." 25 July 2009 Shonky politician That shonky politician, Jennifer Rankine, still won't release the HousingSA in Focus report on Housing Trust sales. Even the Minister for Destroying the Housing Trust, Jay Weatherill, wasn't that bad. Bring back Jay. At least he tried to communicate with electors. Rankine is simply a machine politician loyal to party factions. Weatherill was a communicator, at least. 25 July 2009 Unclean, unclean Drinkers of coffee from that flash machine donated by Sam "Spokes" Di Bacco and Di Bella Coffee say the machine isn't being thoroughly cleaned so you get the taste of stale coffee from the day before. They say it is beginning to taste like "welfare coffee". WestCare owes it to Spokes Di Bacco to keep the machine clean. 25 July 2009 White Tent Hutt Street Centre had some fundraising and homelessness awareness promotion recently where they set up a huge tent in the parklands that was used one morning by non-homeless people. According to my source, the tent was set up the previous day by Renniks Hire and cost $1400 to rent for 24 hours. (The tent use might have been a $1400 donation). Two guards watched over it during the night to prevent vandalism and, possibly, to stop people from sleeping in it. Such are the ironies of fundraising. However, Hutt Street should be credited for raising the issues of those without safe housing, and despite becoming a surveillance agent for the government they've at least stuck to the "coalface" of the "homeless" scene. 25 July 2009 The triumphant return of the Ghost-who-walks The Ghost returned triumphantly to Baptist WestCare homeless centre after a one year absence. They had banned him for 12-months for reasons never specified. The Ghost, in his early sixties, is a disabled stroke victim who suffers chronic pain. He walked through the three-metre high WestCare gates on 27 April 2009 for the two-dollar welfare lunch. The meal is partially funded by Social Inclusion unit funding. The Ghost was met by overseer, Stuart Clarke, who wasn�t overly welcoming. Stuart wouldn't sell him a round yellow token required to exchange for the paid meal so the Ghost opted for the paupers' free meal - no token required. He sat with friends who welcomed him back from his involuntary sojourn. He had the bowl of free soup, but as volunteer waiters brought donated Vilis pies to his table he was approached by the salaried day manager, David S, who said the Ghost would not be served and must leave immediately or he would call the police. The day manager implied the reason being was that the Ghost had supplied information to this website. The day manager said the ban was being run from Baptist Head Office. The Ghost went to Baptist Care Services headquarters in Norwood. They claimed they knew nothing saying that the ban was being conducted by the homeless centre itself. Ian Townsend said he would look into the matter and respond in writing. This wasn't the truth because it didn�t happen. A feature of the Ghost is that he�s never intoxicated and doesn't use drugs except prescribed medication to reduce the risks of another stroke. He isn't violent. He doesn't swear. He fits perfectly the criteria of people the homeless centre wants to attract: older disadvantaged men with accommodation. The dangerous side of the Ghost is that he speaks sharply and clearly. He sought an investigation into allegations that Jayne H., the WestCare cook, regularly ordered the driver returning from FoodBank to drop part of his load at her house before continuing to the WestCare homeless centre. This food that went to her house was subsequently billed by FoodBank to WestCare. But Jayne is an established church-goer so the paid-staff response to the driver who initially raised the allegation was to abuse him whenever he arrived for his unpaid work. In response, he stayed away for eight days and when he returned to resume his voluntary work, Ian Townsend, from Baptist Head Office, told him they'd thought he had quit and, no, they didn't want him back. This was despite WestCare not having a replacement - reliable, unpaid drivers with Police Clearances being difficult to attract. Another driver also said the cook diverted his deliveries to her house. He thought the corrupt activity was legitimate. The cook has simply denied any of it saying the drivers signed for the food at Food Bank so it's their problem to explain why the food listed on the invoices didn't arrive at WestCare. Another proven fact is that Jayne H, allowed her father to park his car near the back door of the WestCare kitchen and subsequently trays of pies and buns repeatedly disappeared. She was warned twice by a Baptist Pastor, Arthur Tzanakis, whom Head Office transferred to Port Pirie. The practice continued and cook was then warned by the current salaried manager in writing about the disappearing food. Another volunteer, Peter C, confronted Jayne H., the cook, when she attempted to take for herself, clothing donated for homeless people. He told her the clothing was for welfare clients only, not paid staff, and that she'd better get out of the clothing room. He also accused her of stealing Christmas toys donated for clients' children. WestCare mounted an internal investigation then declared Jayne H. innocent. But the cook wanted revenge and served up cold. One Sunday lunch after the church service, Peter, a baptised though underclass member of the congregation, noticed the cook was watching him. She then walked over saying, allegedly: "Enjoy your meal, Peter. It will be your last one here for awhile." The following day WestCare called the police saying Peter was dealing drugs on WestCare property. Police searched Peter bodily and publicly in the laneway, but found no drugs. The police left. Peter raised his voice in anger to the Manager about this treatment saying he knew where he lived. This typical and predictable response from an underclass man gave the Manager the excuse he needed to kick him out for aggression. Eventually, after months the Ghost was invited back to discuss the matter of returning to the homeless centre. At the meeting were the Ghost, who has little formal education and Baptist paid executives Graham Mulligan, Ian Townsend, Mike Newman and David Wright. They wouldn�t say why they�d kicked him out for a year in the first instance but said they would consider him returning to the homeless centre providing he wrote a letter of apology. They wouldn�t say who he should apologise to and for what reason though eventually, as a feigned concession, one admitted it was to Jayne H., the cook, but they were resolute in refusing to say what the apology was for. That meeting happened months ago and the Ghost hasn�t apologised because he doesn�t feel it is right to apologise to someone when no specific accusation has been made, and he has already been banned for one year, anyway. This is the treatment dished out by affluent men living in nice suburbs to an older man of little formal education and who has suffered a stroke. It doesn't match the benevolent image Baptist Care Services presents in its leaflets when seeking donations. I've asked the current manager at the WestCare homeless centre if he would like to comment on any of the above. He hasn�t responded. So how could the Ghost's return be deemed triumphant? It was an unconscious victory because while never preaching morality he found himself on the high moral ground over people who spend their lives promoting moral behaviour and claiming to be moral people. He showed them to be the burning hypocrites they are and they�ll never forgive him for that. 22 July 2009 Peter C withdraws from the crude debate Peter C is withdrawing from the debate. He did more than his share to expose the graft at WestCare and they kicked him out for his trouble. We wish him the best in the future for his life. 15 July 2009 Soup Rations Rumour has it that the Jasmin Restaurant is providing soup and bread only from now on. It was originally operated to provide food for people sleeping outside but is now mostly patronised by us ex-homeless or tertiary homeless living in sheds and rooming houses. It�s always been difficult to separate the two groups because we�re both part of the homeless scene. When living outside for five years I never went to homeless joints because the desperation of living outside meant I couldn�t risk the psychological trauma that one often experiences at these places. Protecting the mind is often more important than obtaining food and other necessities. 15 July 2009 Where have all the lawyers gone? A client reports that the homeless lawyers haven�t been at Byron Place for two Wednesdays in a row. Bill, was there, though. He�s almost as good as a lawyer by himself. 15 July 2009 Living the faith? Rumour has it the WestCare cook that bust her leg was wheeled into the church on Sunday in a wheelchair. 15 July 2009 Jennifer Rankine and Political Corruption Someone in the Department of Families and Community told me last week that the Social Inclusion CBD homeless count - as distinct from the recently released 2006 Census Counting the Homeless report � has been finished for about six-weeks but the Minister of Housing, Jennifer Rankine, won�t release it. She has quoted the figures, roughly, in support of her claim that all that money for �homelessness� is actually reducing �homelessness�, but she won�t release the whole report for independent analysis. This is political corruption because the report costs between five and ten thousand dollars to produce yet is used only to promote the government. If a political party commissions surveys with their own funds then it�s their business how they use the results. But when it is the government using taxpayer money the report should be accessible to everyone. After all, what is the big secret, apart from the fact that most people working in the homeless scene get a big laugh out of its underestimation of homeless numbers and its shonky methodology? 13 July 2009 Home |