Crime does pay for Brookvale Vinnies

Sydney
11 November 2001

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Crime does pay for Brookvale Vinnies

Tony Abbott (second from left) was accompanied by Customs Minister Senator Chris Ellison (left), when he oficially handed over the contraband clothes to Vinnies’ Cherie Graham and John Moore

By Kathleen Carmody

Young homeless and disadvantaged people on the northern beaches will be the hit of the beach this summer in new singlets, t-shirts and tracksuits, courtesy of a shipment of counterfeit clothing seized by Australian customs.

The counterfeit clothes – worth tens of thousands of dollars – were donated to St Vincent de Paul in Brookvale last week and will be primarily distributed to young people at the Society’s Youth Reach Centre in Dee Why.

St Vincent de Paul national president John Moore said the Society was absolutely delighted to receive the clothes.

“This particular time they were a godsend. Not only are they looking after the needy up on the northern beaches but they’ve gone out to Penrith and the central coast. That to us is special,” Mr Moore said.

“We’ve been the recipient (of contraband goods) from time to time, but this is probably the biggest we’ve received. It’s good clothing, summer clothing.”

It has only been in recent years that charities like St Vincent de Paul have benefited from confiscated goods. Previously, legislation demanded that all such goods be destroyed. Mr Moore said the society approached politicians about 10 years ago requesting that items such as clothes and toys be passed on to charities for distribution to the needy.

Mr Moore said he was recently contacted by Tony Abbott, Federal Member for Warringah, offering him the clothes, which had been sitting in customs for a number of years.

Mr Abbott, who has in the past has publicly disagreed with St Vincent de Paul on matters of policy, is nonetheless a strong supporter of the Society.

Mr Moore said the relationship between the minister and the Society was extremely good.

“We don’t hold grudges,” he said.

The northern beaches regional president for St Vincent de Paul, Cherie Graham, said it was a big plus to be able to give new goods to people rather than secondhand.

“When people come in for welfare they’re able to get new goods that are fresh and clean,” she said.

The clothes consist of t-shirts and singlets, as well as tracksuits, some bearing the logos of Healthlands or Reebok, but the majority just plain black or white.

They would be especially helpful for young people, Ms Graham said.

“(The T-shirts) are just cotton with set-in sleeves in plain black and white which will really help young people. They often wear singlets down to the beach.”

The Youth Reach Centre is a care and support centre for young people between 13 and 25. As well as offering washing and cooking facilities, the centre also runs drug and alcohol counselling sessions and runs activities to help people back into the workforce or back home.

Some of the clothes will be also used in the Society’s Christmas parcels, Ms Graham said.