Pockets of ‘very deep poverty’ - Tim Fischer launches Vinnies Winter Appeal

Sydney
25 May 2003

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Pockets of ‘very deep poverty’ - Tim Fischer launches Vinnies Winter Appeal

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Pockets of ‘very deep poverty’ - Tim Fischer launches Vinnies Winter Appeal

By Chris Lindsay

Pockets of “very deep poverty” still exist in our society, says the former Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fischer

And “in these tough years - in particular during the winter months the situation facing the poor greatly worsens”.

Mr Fischer made his comments in launching the St Vincent de Paul Society’s Winter Appeal to raise money, clothes and blankets for the disadvantaged in cities and the bush.

“It is critical that the community re-energises itself in these times and helps out in such ways as the Winter Appeal,” he said.

“I appeal to the community spirit of Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and beyond, we are all one country, all Australians,” he said.

“And, no matter how small or large, we can make that community contribution and we will all feel better for it.”

He saluted Vinnies’ work with the poor and disadvantaged, particularly in rural and regional NSW, and praised the Society for its efficiency, citing its low administration cost of only six cents in the dollar.

“In other words, 94 cents goes to the coal face where it is needed,” he said.

Pat O’Flynn, retiring state president of the St Vincent de Paul Society, said: “As the homeless and the lonely experience the cold and damp of the first of winter’s tempests in the cities, the communities in the bush struggle for their very survival.

“The philosophy of the Society is that it wants to stand behind the downcast, and Tim Fischer has demonstrated he can do it.

“The Society believes very strongly in the gospels, particularly Matthew where it refers to looking after the imprisoned, homeless and sick.

“We believe in providing these services because it is honouring Christ.

“In NSW alone the Society helps 700,000 people a year. We have 20,000 volunteers and every one of them helps people two or three times a week.

“In the country they sometimes have to drive for miles and miles to bring relief to someone on a farm or in an outback area.

“The Winter Appeal campaign is saying: ‘Be a good Samaritan’.

“We are asking people to have compassion, to understand people’s difficulties and support them.

“We are asking the people of Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong to ‘take up the challenge’ and to do what good lies in their hands.

“Let us hope the community and corporations give generously. We need money, clothing and quality blankets.”

Mr O’Flynn said that, like the winter cold, the recent Federal Budget provides little hope for the most disadvantaged people in the cities and the bush.

“The problems of the bush are most evident when in absolute crisis, as we have seen in recent months, but many of their problems are a product of underlying causes simply made worse during drought or flood,” he said.

Vinnie’s vice-president Patricia O’Donnell used the Winter Appeal launch to release the Society’s statement Real Poverty: The Cycle of Decline in the Bush, which reports on the first hand experiences of people in rural NSW and the underlying causes of population decline in country centres which have been worsened by the worst drought in living memory.

It says that the Society has provided more than $385,000 to families in rural areas of NSW and in the ACT over the past 12 months to assist with food, clothing and bills.

Because it is not economically viable for young people to stay in rural areas, they move out, leaving the older generation on its own.

Many people therefore have put off their retirement to keep their properties functioning.

The paper criticises the Federal Government’s Exceptional Assistance Program, reporting long delays and bureaucratic processes.

The report recommends that governments decentralise services to the bush to boost rural economies and that government support continues long after the drought breaks as it will take years for recovery.