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Welcome to the Adelaide Homeless Archive. A memory of life on the streets.
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Hutt Street Centre milk "You could see through it this morning." John Green, a Hutt Street Centre client talking about the watered down milk. Posted 12 Oct 2006 Nunga Low Life Expectancy "We lost three last week," Shirley Peisley at the Otherway Centre 12:30pm Thursday 12 October, talking about her wall-to-wall funerals. October 2006 Conflict of Interest When Monsignor Social Inclusion Commissioner David Cappo prances into the Catholic Hutt Street Centre and gives orders he doesn't make it clear whether his commands are coming from his government position of Social Inclusion Commissioner or as the Church's Monsignor. Management doesn't know. Is this a subtle form of corruption? October 2006 Deliberate Subconscious Food Contamination Why does Byron Place Community Centre and Otherway Centre have a wide open bowl of sugar for tea and coffee where licked spoons are replaced into the bowl despite the epidemic of Hepatitis A which is transferable via food. They could easily use those old-fashioned restaurant containers that one tips upside down and the sugar pours out? October 2006 Spreading Disease Made Easy Do the food handlers at homeless places have health checks for Hepatitis A and B? Why not? October 2006 Sleep of the Righteous? Monsignor Vicar General Social Inclusion Commissioner David Cappo is paid $45,000 for a part-time position on the state government's Economic Development Board. This is on top of his $100,000 annual payment for being the Social Inclusion Commissioner. It would be nice to know if this humble man receives subsidised rent at the Archbishop's House in West Terrace, payment for being an Monsignor and provision of a car,a manservant or whether he does his own laundry and irons his own clothing. Also, does he wave goodnight from his window to the other side of West Terrace where people sleep under the bushes. October 2006 Vacancy “The Salvation Army doesn’t have anything in the area,” says Barry Smith while reviewing food services offered in the Port Adelaide/Semaphore. October 2006 They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Two years ago Centrelink workers who had breached the most clients were given awards at old Parliament House in Canberra. The entertainment was unemployed people danced and prancing about a stage. The HomelessnessSA conference is having homeless people provide singing entertainment. They'll have about two lessons in singing then perform at the conference. Should get a few laughs and the odd tear. October 2006 Tame Homeless Only, Welcome People who are homeless, have a long history of homelessness, or are at risk of homelessness are invited to attend the HomelessnessSA conference at Morphett Race Course in November, without charge. One person who provides information for this website, and fits this criteria, has posted an application form for a ticket. Strange, there hasn't been a reply. The form must be have gotten lost in the post. October 2006 Lady Adolph’s East Park Lodge “What the Manager Can’t Do: Enter your room at any time without good reason. However, you must allow the manager to have reasonable access to your room.” ShelterSA booklet: Rooming Houses. “They go through your stuff, the drawers, your bags, when you’re out, looking for drugs.” Reported statement of a tenant at East Park Lodge, managed by MACHA. “What the Manager Can’t Do: Make House Rules that are unreasonable or that do not help to maintain the health and safety of persons in the rooming house.” ShelterSA booklet: Rooming Houses. “Tenants aren’t allowed to leave the building except alone and cannot return in groups. They can’t go back of the building in pairs, only alone.” Reported statement of a tenant at East Park Lodge, managed by MACHA. October 2006 The Sanctity of the Refuge versus the control of drug dealers "Sure, anytime," employee at Hutt Street Centre, inviting police to return after they'd been through the building looking for a patron. Sept 2006 “Social Inclusion” behind the scenes Three people report being doused with diesel oil by security guards on the weekend while sleeping on railway property near the Adelaide Gaol. One might imagine the smiles of the Social Inclusion Commission and that priest David Cappo upon hearing this news. 5 October 2006 The Life and Times of “PJ” "Cut face, bruises, buttons ripped off" Description of PJ, aged 67, after being taken to a stair well by Chubb security guard at the Housing Trust before being thrown out. "They told me they didn't have an office." Thus spoke social worker after discovering that Street-to-home had offices on the first floor at 15 Bentham Street, Adelaide Sept 2006 Milk Extra Lite "The Catholic Church has millions and you're watering down the milk..." said John Green, a breakfast guest observing a tradition at the Hutt Street Centre, Adelaide. July 2006 Uninformed Consent "Sign here," said Rosemary Abdullah, an employee of Hutt Street Centre told a homeless woman, pushing forward a form giving a range of agencies the ability to cross-reference the homeless woman's personal information such as legal, medical, Centrelink, etc. After signing Rosemary didn't provide a copy to the homeless woman who can't remember exactly what she signed or who is getting to see her personal details. October 2006 Wisdom from "PJ" "Always ask yourself, 'What will happen if I don't buy this product? How will I manage without it? It may be that you don't really need it." Advice given to poor people in a pamphlet distributed at the Anti-Poverty Week promotional event in Rundle Mall on 16 October 2006. Heaps of well-paid executive types were there giving speeches. Meanwhile, within 1 kilometre, a 66-year-old man, not on the old age pension or any government payments, and sleeping outside, and who doesn't use drugs or drink alcohol, gets his food by taking it from plates at outdoor restaurant tables, and from free food joints (occasionally). Wasted Resources "Uh, um, yes." Tony Roach, Coordinator of Fred's Vans, replying to the question, "Will you look into why the old Iliad restaurant at Whitmore Square, used by St Vincent de Paul, is kept empty 23 hours a day including the times when Fred's Van serves food outside and where there aren't any toilets available in this outdoor area? And will you get back to me via email? The question was asked in Rundle Mall at some anti-poverty week promotional event. The Suspect "Do you know Norm Barber?" demanded Paul, aged about 25, with Scott from Street-to-Home, speaking to the same people at 4pm 17 October 2006. The question was strategically placed during a meeting regarding housing via Street-to-Home. Would a yes or no answer affect housing availability? Cruel Torment "Nice night for sleeping outside," said Paul, aged about 25 (of Paul and Maureen) both of whom work for Street-to-Home in Adelaide. He was speaking to a man and woman aged about 50 and 40 respectively who were sleeping out on the steps of a Uniting Church in Adelaide. Posted 11am on 17 October 2006 Otherway Dreams The men’s toilets at Otherway have a light switch timer so if you're inside the room for more than five minutes the light goes out. You can turn in on only by going back outside into the office area and pressing the button. The paid staff use the toilet for the disabled: it is larger, cleaner, has a secure lock, and the room doesn’t suddenly go pitch black. The hot water urn stopped working at Otherway one day last week. An "Out of order" sign was taped over it. There was no alternative jug provided; no explanation. It was fixed the next day, but still not cleaned. Have you seen how dirty, grimy, germy it is, horrible. The sugar is in a big, wide bowl so if someone with germs coughs nearby, well, you get it in your sugar, and people have diseases there like Hep A and B, communicable via food. The cafe bar has a sugar dispenser but they say it gets blocked. October 2006 Dirty Tricks "They wanted to send us to this place [ROOFS] like we were schizophrenic. We're not schizophrenic; we're just in a difficult situation," recounted Donna and Wayne, a homeless couple living outside and being pressured by Street-to-home by default to declare themselves mentally ill and accept drug treatment as a condition of getting public housing. October 2006 Downsizing the Housing Trust "Category 2 and 3 have stopped moving and aren't expected to regain movement; they are dead; the patient is dead," said a man who checks movements on the waiting lists of HousingSA, (formerly Housing Trust of SA). 24 October 2006 The Supreme Ego Construct “I’m trying to get some new buildings in place for homeless people,” Cappo said in the Adelaide Advertiser and added that he hopes to raise $5million from private industry, which would be matched by the State Government. He forgot to mention there would be a net loss for poor people due to the government continuing to sell existing government housing to richer people. Cappo is attempting to create the public impression that things are improving whilst convening the purge of people living outside in the Adelaide CBD. Uh, Cappo, what about East Park Lodge remaining partly empty. Duh. 24 Oct 2006 How To Avoid Filling Out the Census Forms "That fixed that," said a person who didn't want to complete the Census2006 forms. The reluctant information provider claimed to the Census2006 collectors to be homeless and wouldn't answer the usual questions but requested the special list of questions Census2006 used for homeless people. The raised-voice interrogators initially claimed the homeless census forms didn't exist then when corrected made three phone calls and said they'd return with the homeless forms. That was the last the person heard from them despite being easily contacted and willing to complete the homeless forms. 24 October, 2006 Paul, Aged 25 "Can I have another cup of coffee?" asked a woman of a Street-to-home employee. Street-to-home are too paranoid to let anyone up to their offices at 15 Bentham Street, Adelaide so meetings take place in public places like cafes. Such is their respect for client privacy. "Can you answer some questions?" Paul, aged about 25, asked a man living outside, adding, "We've filled out the first four pages from what we already know about you." The man had asked Paul, of Paul and Scott, from Street-to-home, about getting accommodation. Good Pal, Jay Many bureaucrats working in the homeless industry refer to the Minister for Housing, Jay Weatherill, as "Jay", like a friend yet he is in charge of diminishing the Housing Trust of SA, which is now called HousingSA, same name except the word "Trust" has been removed. Such sycophants. October 2006 Hospital's continued reluctance to treat homeless, injured people. Sandra Kanck, Democrats MP in the South Australian Parliament has formally asked John Hill, Minister for Health, to make public the secret Royal Adelaide Hospital investigation into the maltreatment of homeless man, PJ. The cover-up has been in full swing for two months and appears to be orchestrated by a number of Central Adelaide Health Service employees including John Forward. We, at this website, welcome any refutation or corrections and would appreciate anyone proving there isn't a cover-up in progress. Contact: [email protected] PJ Update 25 October 2006 Spooky Visits Street-to-Home "I spooked them," said a homeless person describing the reaction of Street-to-Home when he visited their secret offices on the first floor at 15 Bentham Street, Adelaide. Staff pretended his "workers", Paul, aged about 25, and Maureen weren't there. He described their reactions like they, as an organisation, were suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, or felt they were under some extreme threat from homeless people. October 2006 Systemic Failure "After we agreed the Seaton place was inappropriate, [for medical reasons] and that we should get a place in the City, the other one was still pushing the Seaton place." A man describing the systemic breakdown within Street-to-home and its dealings with other agencies. October 25 PJ Cover-up PJ Cover-up continues: Virginia Deegan, RAH General Manager and Con Finos, the Patient Services Adviser are playing the same same as John Forward. The big issue behind it is the Royal Adelaide Disease Alert "Rabid," said a person describing MP Jane Lomax-Smith's response to an issue about civil liberties of people living outside. She, according to the person, let loose with a tirade against homeless people especially Aboriginals. The East Park Lodge renovated for homeless people is kept mostly empty to appease neighbours who might withdraw their support for Lomax-Smith at the next election. 26 October 2006 Wayne and Donna Saga Remember the story of Street-to-home taking a homeless man and woman to Kilburn to look at that dump. Well, Maureen, of Maureen and Paul of Street-to-home offered another place to them at Kilburn. They offered to drive them to see the place, but this time they wouldn't be allowed to go inside but could peek through the screened windows only. Street-to-home weren't taking any chances that the interior condition of this next joint would be reported on this gossip column. The couple would have to make a decision on whether to move into the dwelling based on an outside view only. 27 October 2006 Another Cover-Up Wendy Dunlop, the public relations officer for the Salvation Army has stopped denying that their secret, unused restaurant exists in a building owned by the Salvos on Gilbert Street, Adelaide. It has been suggested it could be used for Fred's Van rather than the van people serving food outside in all weather. Mind you, she hasn't admitted the restaurant exists except to imply that a different section of the Salvation Army controls it. We still wait for the unfolding of this little story. 30 October 2006 Insidious Systemic Corruption The St Vincent de Paul Society hasn't got back to me on why they keep their restaurant at Whitmore Square empty 23 hours a day including the time when Fred's Van serves food outdoors. To be fair Tony Roach did say it was due to funding conditions so the question this raises is, who is stopping it from being used? Jane Lomax-Smith? 30 October 2006 Genuine new “Homeless” miss out on services "Marj isn't interested." A report reached us that the manager of Byron Place isn't interested in a broad-based data base that shows what services are available for people living outside. Such a data base would allow those living outside to pick and choose - and demand government funded services they are eligible to receive. 30 October 2006 Beggars can be choosers "Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha," a female employee laughed loudly behind the Otherway Centre counter to a man asking for something without meat. The Otherway Centre provide pies and pasties on request, but not everyone accepts that beggars can be choosers. Another woman checks the oven and says, in a respectful voice: "I'm terribly sorry, we don't have any without meat." 30 October 2006 The Singer "Have you seen Gelignite Jack?" asked an employee about a client to another employee at the Otherway Centre on Thursday, 26 October at 12:26pm. "Don't you mean, Cactus Jack?" responded another. "He is a little explosive," commented another. "I saw him at Mass. He's a Catholic. He has such a beautiful voice," says an old woman behind the counter. 1 November 2006 Calder’s Theme Song? "There's no such thing as client self-determination." Greg Calder, Manager of Street-to-home www.geocities.com/streettohome posted 1 November 2006 Everyone’s Best Pal Have you read that one in the media where Cappo says he knows most of the homeless by name? One man living outside spent a week asking others sleeping rough if they knew David Cappo. Guess what percentage knew him by name or description? If you guessed 0% you'd be right. The next thing he'll be doing is saying God visits him every evening to play chess. 1 November 2006 Breaking up the Boys’ Club The government-funded Seniors Information Service of 45 Flinders Street, Adelaide wanted to discourage men from using the over 50s Internet Lounge and "break up the boys' club". They called Street-to-Home who delivered some leaflets to attract two homeless men who used the Internet Lounge computers. Neither fell for that trick so the mostly female staff used other methods to “discourage” men in preference to females. The point is, however, they understood Street-to-home was a method of removing men. The female staff weren’t trying to help the men just get rid of them. Heather Mason and Colonel Irene Gibbons (ret) of the Seniors Information Centre at 45 Flinders Street, Adelaide. 1 November 2006 A private business would not do this Hutt Street Centre closed down this morning at 9am (1 Nov 2006) for staff training as if the customers have many other options. What government department or private business would dare act similarly? It is both the stretched finances at Hutt Street and the low social status of their clientele that makes such a shut-down seem reasonable. Otherway Centre is also closed on Wednesdays until 1:30pm. One would think they'd avoid the same shut-down days as Hutt Street considering they're both Catholic Orders. Hey, why not shut down Cappo's shower and amenities? The reason could be staff training for the cleaner. 1 November 2006 East Park Lodge An explanation from two insiders about why the government-funded East Park Lodge in Angas Street, Adelaide remains mostly empty goes as follows: Wealthy neighbours don’t want sixty ex-homeless living nearby and threatened to vote against local government MP Jane Lomax-Smith at the next election. The State Government responded by requiring 24/7 supervision if resident numbers rise above a dozen or so. MACHA, who manage the place, can’t afford 24/7 supervision, approximately $500,000 a year, so East Park Lodge remains mostly empty. The same situation applies to the three-year delay in the Afton House redevelopment. Jane Lomax-Smith is laughing. Father Vicar General Monsignor Social Inclusion Commissioner David Cappo won’t say boo on this issue despite his previous statements in the media announcing both buildings would be redeveloped and available to homeless He’s keeps his mouth shut because he is an appointee of Premier Mike Rann plus Cappo supports the government plan to remove most “homeless” from the CBD, anyway, and disperse them into the poorer parts of surburbia. Meanwhile, staff at East Park Lodge appear to have warned residents, especially a small, fragile elderly man named, “Normie” not to speak about East Park Lodge to anyone, especially to other people still living outside. Oh, and all that money said to be “helping the homeless” hasn’t helped them at all: just created nice clean empty rooms full of new furnishings. 2 November 2006 Selective Vision Loss "I don't see any signs," said a smiling woman working at the Otherway Centre. She was commenting on the signs saying no eating and drinking were allowed inside the building. It was raining a tiny bit and a bit windy. November 2006 Deteriorating Society Certain Chubb security guards at the Royal Adelaide Hospital wear badges saying: "Defuse", which based on their reputation with homeless people means, "Incite". November 2006 The Cox Plates "How am I going to feed them all," said Ian Cox of Hutt Street Centre, once lunchtime. November 2006 Homeless Politics Why hasn't the person who helps with www.geocities.com/socialinclusionwar got a response to an application for free entrance to the HomelessnessSA conference at the Morphet Vale Race Cousrse. He posted the application form to the Homelessness Post Box but got no response. Why is the HomelessnessSA email address always dead despite being listed on the application form. [email protected] ? Funny, Jo Wickes said all homeless, ex-homeless and those at risk of homeless could attend without paying just like the government bureaucrats who will attend without paying. 2 November 2006 Psychiatric Agency disguised as homeless agency "Street-to-home nabbed a mate, bit of a drinker, put him in a place [Palm Lodge psychiatric boarding house) near the Maid and Magpie." man at Byron Place Community Centre 2 November 2006 Mr Silly? "I don't mind appearing a little silly if it will help homeless people," said a church-based worker when complemented on a frank and open manner. 2 November 2006 *********************************************** Lack of Training Watch the cook at Hutt Street Centre. She spilt beans and sauce on the rim of one plate then wiped the stuff off with her hand, which she then put into her mouth. Glad I wasn't the next patron though maybe she did it to a previous customer, too. 3 November 2006 *************************************** Social Inclusion as an Agency of Exclusion The man and woman previously mentioned in this column and living outside in the Adelaide CBD are now holed up at the Hampshire Hotel and Backpackers at 110 Grote Street Adelaide. They pay over $300 a week for a room, which is most of their money. “It’s an Edwardian building,” says the man, “the problem is that it hasn’t been cleaned since the Edwardian period. The woman says, "The rats and cockroaches cross the street to avoid the place." The man suffers an enlarged liver from a viral infection while the woman is gravely ill with lumps in her breasts and lymph nodes and is due for radical surgery with a medium prognosis. There are also other medical issues. She has pawned her wedding rings and they go to Fred’s Van for free food. She wants to live outside because it is too noisy and threatening in the hotel. “I can’t sleep, can’t relax,” she cries. “All the drug deals, the shouting, the screaming and you know what throughout the night.” They are on the Category 1 waiting list with HousingSA and the estimated time of a flat or unit is 12-18 months. Street-to-home is supporting them with a cup of coffee each per week in a coffee shop in exchange for the couple answering dozens, even hundreds of questions about their personal lives. All their personal details are broadcast at the coffee table because Street-to-home is too paranoid to allow anyone inside their offices at 15 Bentham Street, Adelaide. Street-to-home has offered suburban housing but due to medical issues the couple must remain in the City and the woman won’t sign papers giving Social Workers scheduled access to any accommodation they get through the government. Street-to-home has tried to get them to join ROOFS, a housing organization for schizophrenic people though the couple say, “We’re not schizo,” and they clearly are not. It is ironical that throughout this ordeal and the couple’s clearly declining health Street-to-home has access to empty units in the Adelaide CBD but Greg Calder, the Manager and other staff have declined to offer any of them to this couple. 3 November 2006 Open letter to Father Monsignor Vicar General Social Inclusion Commissioner David Cappo Dear Dave, Could you please inform the public via this website about your income and whether you have taken a vow of poverty? I hope you don’t think these questions are based on the politics of envy. I just want to compare them with those who live outside across West Terrace from your proclaimed residence. I understand you drag in $100,000 from the Social Inclusion Commission and keep this money for yourself: "for a rainy day". Is this true? Do you also get $45,000 from the Economic Development Board? Do you keep this or give it to the Church like Janet Mead did when she had a No 1 Pop Chart hit in the 1970s? Do you have your living quarters at the Archbishop’s Residence in West Terrace? If so, who pays for the food and power? Do you get a car provided by the Church? Do you have a church chauffeur and a manservant to make your bed, iron your clothing and clean your living quarters? What other stuff do you get: e.g. wine, that purple robe, etc? Also, when you visit Hutt Street Centre and give orders, do you make it clear whether you’re speaking as a Monsignor of the Catholic Church or the Commissioner of Social Inclusion? Could you provide a copy of all the vows you’ve taken during your meteoric career? Yours truly, Norm Barber PS: I understand you’ve stated that you know many homeless people by name. A friend living outside spent a week asking other people living outside if they knew you. Not one person admitted knowing you; they didn’t even know the Social Inclusion Commission existed. 6 November 2006 Busted toilet door lock WestCare fixed the lock on the door of the men's toilet, but the door is still wonky and won't close properly. At least they tried. 6 November 2006 Disease Control The homeless joints still have those open bowls of sugar, etc. Just the ticket to spread diseases like Hep A. Hutt Street should be called Hutt Street Hep A Spread Centre; Otherway should be called Otherway Hep A Spread Centre and Byron Place should be called Germs Central. John Green Freudian Slip? "As long as you have pokies you'll always have homelessness," said John Green who lives outside and was dining at Teen Challenge on a Thursday night at 5:30 pm outside at Hindmarsh Square with quality food provided free by Jasmin Restaurant. 6 November 2006 "He was bawling his eyes out." Description of a man released after 26 years in jail, totally institutionalised and easily ordered around. He was attacked on Hindley Street and suffered a dislocated elbow. The Royal Adelaide Hospital treated him at night, gave him six Panadol Forte and said goodbye. His arm was all swelled up. A few days later he was attacked a second time while sleeping near the Torrens River and his blanket stolen. He was later sleeping under cardboard and the police woke him with a dog, searched all his belongs then said he must be hiding something to be living this way. Instead of helping him the police were simply another mode of abuse. 8 November 2006 Certain Land Development Discouraged Westcare owns the old bakery buildings at the end of Millar Court off 212 Wright Street Adelaide. They've sought permission to develop them; they have the money. The Adelaide City Council is holding things up and supported by Jane Lomax-Smith. It seems the two "political enemies", Mayor Harbison and ex corpse chopper, Jane, have the identical aim of forcing the poorest people out of the Adelaide CBD to make way for the expected influx of richer people and foreign students. 8 November 2006 Update to the open letter to Dave Cappo A group of people sitting at the unshaded table outside at the Otherway Centre on 7 November 2006 agreed that David Cappo, considering his high income, should donate the cost of installing shade cloth over the client area. Barbie nominated Father Cappo and five others said, "Uh huh". 8 November 2006 One politician visits Fred’s Van Sandra Kanck, Democrat MP in the South Australian Parliament visited Fred's Van last night looking for PJ. She is also trying to get a copy of the government report on Chubb Security guards phsyically forcing an injured and bleeding PJ from the Royal Adelaide Hospital. The government is suppressing the report from public view, including PJ's view. 10 November 2006 Donna Stumpf While at Fred's Van Sandra Kanck spoke to the woman with a grave medical disorder who has left the stinking Hamshire Hotel and Packpackers and is now living in yet another transient accommodation joint. Sandra is going to take the matter up with the Health Minister. 10 November 2006 Maureen of Street-to-home "Oh, right," said Maureen, of Street-to-home when advised by the homeless woman mentioned above that she has breasts lumps and a swollen lymph glands and is facing radical surgery with a medium outcome. "Would you like a glass of water before you leave?" asked another employee when the same woman visited Street-to-home's secret rooms on the first floor at 15 Bentham Street, Adelaide. 10 November 2006 Camera Shy? "They said they didn't know anything about the Homeless Health Day in Whitmore Square," reported an informant about Street-to-Home and the Homeless Health Day. Street-to-Home have such a bad reputation they're reluctant to show their face in public,especially to those being "helped". 10 November 2006 Home Development Ruined "They pulled down Danny's Squat," said the white woman who had the punch-up with a black woman at Fred's Van last month. "They threw out all our stuff." 10 November 2006 Coffee back on tap at Teen Challenge Warren is again bringing the coffee trailer to Hindmarsh Square on Thursday's evenings at 5:pm for the Jasmin Restaurant food. His diabetes was so bad he didn't have the strength to hook up the trailer and load the supplies. 13 November 2006 Sleep Deprivation symptoms mimic “mental illness” symptoms "Lack of sleep. That's the hardest," said a man at Byron Place Community Centre, currently sleeping outside. "You sleep with one eye open. I've been robbed four times this year." 13 Nov 2006 Deliberate Disinformation Remember that magic number, 37? That was the estimated number of people living outside in the Adelaide CBD. The Department of Health hired students to search a small part of the Adelaide parklands with torches early one morning. These experts at finding people sleeping outside said the number was 37. Greg Calder and his crowd provided that figure to Roseanne Haggerty, that New York property developer who then promoted that number in the media to justify, among other things, the government paying her $250,000 for a few weeks "work" as Thinker-in-residence. Even Street-to-home know the number is at least 150 but Calder didn't have the guts to contradict the American real estate agent: He's pretty tough with exhausted homeless people though with his "superiors" he is, well, a little different. Calder is also unhappy because next time he has to show how effective Street to Home has been in reducing numbers he won't be able to go lower than 37. The New York Real Estate woman beat him to it. 13 November 2006 Donna and Wayne The homeless man and woman, Donna and Wayne, mentioned above have temporarily split up. Wayne has returned to Sydney. Donna is undergoing further oncological tests. There is some distension in the abdomen. Maureen of Street to Home said to Donna that she won't get further "housing assistance" until she fills out new housing application forms, same as before, except this time it is housing just for her. Maureen is going on holidays, anyway, while Greg Calder is back from his holidays. It should be said this woman has had a life in full employment and at 48 years of age is new to the homeless scene. She isn't a regular. 14 November 2006 Secret Operators Surprise, surprise. Street to Home didn't have their stall t the Homeless Health Day in Whitemore Square. They missed so many interested people who wanted to ask questions. 14 November 2006 Bad Planning There wasn't any coffee at the Homeless Health Day in Whitmore Square. 14 November 2006 Hard To Believe WestCare wants to redevelop some of their rooms on Wright Street but the Adelaide City Council is refusing permission because they suspect WestCare will use the redevelopment to help homeless people. The Council, along with Cappo, want to restrict CBD services to the homeless and very poor in Adelaide so being transported to suburbia will appear more attractive. 15 November 2006 Who actually gained? Does anyone know of anything that has happened as a result of Roseanne Haggerty's $250,000 Thinker-in-Residence visits? Just one tiny improvement, just one minor change? Apart from the increase in restaurant activity? 15 November 2006 Gladys’s Lucky Life Gladys almost got smacked in the darkness at Fred's Van. She's an older woman with legs ruined by diabetes. She meant to move her electric scooter forward but instead reversed into four men. The potential smacker caught himself in time and Gladys is okay. 15 November 2006 Animal Etiquette "Rats attacking food," said a man about the cake and bread distribution method at Westcare in Millars Court. The bread room is rushed and the first 15 people grab what they want leaving nothing for the gentler people. (There isn't enough and supply varies greatly). This is similar to Fred's Van when the bags are distributed. It is undignified and unfair though one rule amongst the clients at Fred's Van is that women can go to the front of the queue. 15 November 2006 Consultants and bureaucrats grab “homeless” money The homeless section of the Social Inclusion Commission has a budget of $20 million over four years. You don't see any of it reaching Fred's Van. Roseanne Haggerty's visit cost about $250,000. Father Cappo will get about $400,000 salary plus expenses. 16 November 2006 Lost Cause The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) has begun a formal investigation into a complaint that the Senior's Information Service of Flinders Street, Adelaide introduced a rule that discriminated against men's access to their Internet Lounge. Two of the men affected were homeless and it is alleged that Manager, Colonel Irene Gibbons, (retired), distributed Street to Home pamphlets to some of the men using the computers, and reduced computer access to "break up the boys club". 16 November 2006 More Lies Remember that SA state government and Social Inclusion Unit 2003 pledge that homelessness will be halved in the life of the government. "Life of the government" usually means one term so homelessness should have been halved by 2006. When a government wins a second term it is called, for example, "Mike Rann's second government." But now the latest pledge is reducing homelessness by half by 2010 and when this doesn't happen the Labour government can extend it, if they win the election, to 2014. 16 November 2006 Adelaide City MP Jane Lomax-Smith's heavy footprint Westcare and Byron Place Community Centre have both shut down for half of each weekday. Westcare's main building is open four hours a day while Bryon Place is mostly shut during the afternoons. It is like two day centres have become one day centre. Wow. One source says this is because local residents dislike having poor people in the area. Good old Jane is backing the richer people 100%. 17 November 2006 Fiddling the Books at Street to Home? Does anyone remember Cappo and Street to Home saying that the latter would target those living outside in the Adelaide CBD who wouldn't or couldn't access homeless services. That was the reason for Street to Home aggression. Well, Street to Home employees tried this but became afraid saying it was too dangerous to approach these people with a psychiatric agenda. But politics is politics and Street to Home is under pressure to perform. They must "house homeless people". So they hang around homeless day centres trying to grab people there. The one problem is that these people do know how to access services while the other group remain in the parklands. By grabbing the people who are already receiving services form the church homeless agencies Street to Home is ignoring its orginal charter. However, statistics are statistics and Greg Calder will fix things up so no one will notice this retreat, this change of policy that makes Street to Home redundant, doing nothing except sapping money that usually goes for homeless services.. Last Edit 17 November 2006 Drug Pushers "The counsellor wants me on anti-depressants. They won't let me read or even leave my book on serial killers in the building. I have to take it with me during the day. We're allowed out until 11pm. I got back at 11:20pm and they wouldn't let me in. They said go to detox. I said I wasn't drunk. They said they knew that but detox would let me in on a compassionate basis. I walked to detox, at Whitmore Square, at midnight, by myself then returned to Catherine House in the morning. Catherine House wouldn't let me in the previous night even though I was paying to stay there," says the homeless woman mentioned elsewhere in this column. 21November 2006 Seeking Stability and Dignity "They want me to go to East Park Lodge. I said I want something stable not transitional like East Park Lodge. I need stability to deal with my medical issues [oncological]," says the same homeless woman. The Social Inclusion Commission has introduced a policy of excluding homeless people from government housing unless they go through Monitor Housing, sort of like being on parole, and which usually involves agreeing to go on psychiatric drugs. This is treating homeless people automatically as if we are crims, mental patients, drug addicts. 20 November 2006 Typical Cover-Up Latest on the PJ cover-up. The report won't be released. The Minsiter, John Hill, says the hospital was right. Read Hill's letter and an analysis of the government response. 20 November 2006 The Old Man “Why should I work? They take fifty cents in the dollar off the pension. You get those rich bastards. They get accountants and pay nothing.” An old man on an old bicycle at theTeen Challenge/Jasmin Restaurant meal in Hindmarsh Square last Thursday evening. 20 November 2006 Womens’ Shelter Nazis "We're not allowed to make friends with the other residents. They say we're not allow to talk with others living there about our problems." The homeless woman with oncological problems now staying temporarily at Catherine House, a government-funded women's shelter in Adelaide. The good thing is that the place is cheap so she can spend part of her worker's compensation money on food and treatment. But one can't help wondering if the unspoken price the system made her pay was to temporarily dissolve her marriage. And more about the same woman: "She's been housed," said a social worker. "No," I replied, "This is temporary accommodation. They can kick her out in a with a minutes notice." This is called secondary homelessness. 20 November 2006 The Power of Gossip East Park Lodge has changed its tune since it was mentioned on this gossip column that they don't allow people to leave or enter the building in groups. Now staff encourage residents to sit outside. It is still half empty though because, as one resident put it: "They don't want druggies or alcoholics." 21 November 2006 Good Evening at Fred’s Van The Starvation Army did Fred's Van last night. There was a wide range of sandwiches with the bags marked with their contents. The coffee cups and cordial cups were disposable and clean. There was much laughter with the biggest crowd ever including kids. The Aboriginals were terrific giving the place a natural, earthy feel. The nitrates hot dogs ran out as did the cordial but there was little grumbling. One comment from that tall fellow with the Afro hairstyle gave the evening a jolt. He mentioned the words "pussy" and "mealtime" and expanded on the subject, perhaps a little too much. It made the Salvation Army women open their eyes a little wider and put one man off his hot dog. One Salvo man said he looks forward to working at Fred's Van while another Salvo man had a black eye. 21 November 2006 ************************************************* "I work my guts out six days a week, for forty years." says Phil, the Celebrity can and scrap collector at Fred's Van. He was justifying not giving a smoke to one of those people who watch the crowd then when they see someone light up rush over to ask for one. 22 November 2006 *************************************************** “You can criticise Dave Walker for this and that but he has two daughters and he spent all those years picking up cans to buy them a house each,” said an elder at Westcare last week. Dave Walker is the man who was grabbed by Street to Home, photographed, detained at Glenside, drugged out, then trotted around to the Media by Roseanne Haggerty and Street to Home to show how well they were doing their jobs. They later shoved him into a place in Thebarton where he hasn’t anything to do and is drugged out on psychiatric drugs and has suffered a bad turn of health. Surprise, surprise. 23 November 2006 ******************************************************* Implication, Deceit, Prevarication David Panter is the Chief Executive officer of the Central Northern Adelaide Health Services that encompasses the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Panter wrote me in July, 2006 complaining about the section in "Homeless Wars" where I stated that "Rob Pegram, Executive Director of the Central Northern Adelaide Health Service…has ordered that no further information be provided to myself." Panter differed and wrote, "…I do not believe he has ordered no further contact…Dr Pegram has told me that despite these articles [Homeless Wars and New Wards of the State] if you wish to discuss the matter further he will make senior staff available…Dr Pegram has said that if you wish to have further communication please contact either John Forward, General Manager or John Hancock, Media Liaison by email." I fired off some questions to John Forward at [email protected], as recommended by Panter. It would be interesting to how he would deal with question 10 about an alleged assault by Greg Calder, Manager of Street-to-home. Would it be the standard cover-up? Question 10 asks: On or about 8 May 2006 I visited the reception area of Street-to-home at 15 Bentham Street, Adelaide. I took some pictures and Greg Calder reacted in what is perhaps a prima facie case of assault. Was any security camera video recording done of this incident? If so, does the recording still exist? If it does, can I get a copy of it? Did Calder and other staff make reports on this incident? If they did can I get copies? John Forward respondedwith the following email dated 29 August 2006, pledging to answer the questions “no later than 10 October”, 2006. I’ve retained his spelling errors. Dear Norm thanks for your questions. Within Central Northern Adealide Health, I have overall repsonsibility for Street to Home and homelessness programs in general - hence the request to email me your questions. You ahve listed quite a number of questions and many of them will require some thought and development - on the other hand some are simply yes and no answers. I will try to get to your questions as soon as I can - you can expect to have answers within the next 6 weeks. I think it is important for you to know that we do not take our jobs lightly. All our staff have a genuine interest in working with homeless people - particularly rough sleepers - and try to do the best by them. I'll get back to you no later than 10 October. regards john John Forward General Manager Strategic Projects and Prisoner Health * * * As of 21 November 2006 nothing has been heard from John Forward or David Panter, which wasn't surprising. Norm Barber Read the Full Story including the full list of Questions ********************************************** Joining Forces Street to Home has permission from Hutt Street Centre to use its premises to do psychiatric assessments by subterfuge on homeless people. Street to Home now has an Aboriginal social worker to entice her people into psychiatry. 24 November 2006 ********************************************** Institutionalised Contempt “I went to see Ian as you suggested,” the homeless woman at Catherine House told me. “He said he didn’t do housing anymore and suggested one of their social workers. I said anyone but Rosemary so guess who they assigned to me – Rosemary. Then I said I have tests [oncology] next week and they kindly suggested Rosemary accompany me.” 24 November 2006 at Fred's Van Secret Assessments “It was supposed to be an interview for housing but I knew within three minutes it was an assessment, a psychiatric assessment,” a man living outside told me, recounting a supposed housing interview with Street to Home, who have now been welcomed into the Hutt Street Centre. “They made me sign a form saying it was freedom of information or something,” the man said adding that they made him sign away privacy rights that have taken thirty years to develop and push through Parliament. 24 November 2006 Adamski “I took him to the psychiatric unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He’d never met her before, the patient we were visiting, but on the way out he was writing hearts in chalk on the footpath, saying how he loved her.” An Aboriginal elder talking about a younger friend who, the elder says, is the ultimate romantic. 24 November 2006 "PJ" assault and refusal of treatment at Royal Adelaide Hospital The bureaucrats have finished the report on the incident where a homeless man punched in the face by a stranger was refused treatment at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, removed by private security guards then told not to come back. The report, according to Virginia Deegan, won't be made public even to PJ let alone his close supporters. Sandra Kanck also wants it made public. Meanwhile, PJ continues to suffer facial and sinus discomfort two months after the attack. He is also reluctant to return to the hospital. Another systemic failure in the Health System while that meddling priest, Cappo, prances about Adelaide telling how good things are going. 28 November 2006 High Protein at Fred's Van "You should have been at "Fred's Cuisine" last night. Steak sandwiches ... I had one and then had a steak and sausage sandwich," reports a regular at Fred's Van 28 November 2006 Dot Casey “Dot Casey is on extended sick leave,” a tenant at Catherine House reports, shocked. 28 November 2006 Institutionalised Destabilisation “They want me to go to a half-way house,” says the woman at Catherine House. “I need stability not being bounced around from one place to another.” 28 November 2006 Paranoid Behaviour The Disability Information Centre is compiling a new disabilities services directory. They got quite a surprise with Street-to-home who were too paranoid to provide their address - or anything, actually. Clinically paranoid? 28 November 2006 Cappo's Handmaidens at Catherine House Women's Shelter "You can't stay here," said Debbie, a twelve-year veteran employee at Catherine House where the homeless woman with oncological problems was staying. "I smell alcohol on your breath. Go to detox." It was 10:30pm and the woman had been out during the day and had drank one can of Bundaberg and Cola mix. "Get outside," she ordered the other woman who had already paid for the accommodation. Debbie told her to walk to the Salvation Army detox at Whitmore Square. Debbie locked the outside gate while the other woman stood on the footpath. Debbie phoned MAPS, the Mobile Assistance Patrol. "They'll be here in about an hour," she told the homeless woman. There was an unhappy discussion between them about waiting an hour in the dark on the footpath or walking. "Then I'll take you," said Debbie and they drove the Detox. There was a dispute between Debbie and a drunk outside Detox then with a male employee who passed out a breathalyser for the woman to breathe into. ".055," said the man. "Have you had a meal recently?" he asked the woman. "Yes," she replied and also restated that she'd had the can of alcoholic mix between 7:30pm and 8:30pm. There was an argument between the man and Debbie, the latter saying she clearly wasn't intoxicated and the reading matched her story. "If she goes and drinks a glass of water she'll be down to .04," the man said. Debbie didn't like this and insisted the woman be admitted to detox but the man said, no. Debbie and the woman returned to Catherine House. "Go and drink a glass of water then go to bed," she ordered the woman who asked to be able to make a phone call from the pay phone inside Catherine House and go out back for a smoke. "You have one minute for the phone call," said Debbie, "then don't talk to anyone else when you're outside." The woman was at Fred's Van the following evening, somewhat shaken to say the least. "I can't stay there. I've paid $60 and booked into Kiwi Lodge for one night. I'd rather live outside than Catherine House." She isn't on welfare but Workers Compensation from New South Wales following a work accident. However, she is often broke soon after payday because she is new to the homeless scene and has fallen prey to those who borrow money then become elusive. Meanwhile, during the day the woman visited Hutt Street Centre and talked to Rosemary Abdullah about her oncology testing for lumps in her breasts, swollen lymph glands and distended abdomen: "I'd like to say that everything will work out but we both know how serious this is," said Rosemary Abdullah to the homeless woman with oncological problems. "I'd like to say I know how you feel but not having this problem I don't." "She's good on a good day," said the homeless woman, appreciating frankness. 27 November 2006. Adelaide City Council Obstruction WestCare wants to redevelop some of their rooms on Wright Street but the Adelaide City Council is refusing permission because they suspect WestCare will use the redevelopment to help homeless people. The Council, along with Cappo, want to restrict CBD services to the homeless and very poor in Adelaide so being transported to suburbia will appear more attractive. 27 November 2006 Take-Over Conspiracy Tale "Street to Home is out to destroy Hutt Street Centre," said a man at Fred's Van and never before quoted on this website. 27 November 2006 ******************************************* Questions asked in Parliament about PJ Question asked 23/11/06 Legislative Council Sandra Kanck, MLC On the 25th August, a 66 year old homeless man known as PJ was assaulted in the city by a group of youths outside the Strathmore Hotel. He sustained, at least, a broken nose but refused to allow an ambulance to be called because he knew he would not be able to afford it. He was then assisted to walk to the Emergency Department of Royal Adelaide Hospital by a woman named Racheal. After number of hours in the ED waiting area, with his nose continuing to bleed, PJ queried why he was being kept waiting. According to PJ, at this point a security guard ushered him outside, where the guard manhandled and verbally abused PJ. PJ was so traumatised by both the bashing and the RAH incident that he went into hiding for seven weeks. When advised of the situation and the buck-passing that appeared to be happening in dealing with it, I wrote to the Health Minister seeking an explanation. The Minister recently e-mailed a response to some of the advocates for homeless people who had first raised the matter, and his e-mail has now been published on a website. In it the Minister justifies whatever behaviour that occurred as being “appropriate”, but he does say that “improved procedures” are now in place to better identify homeless people when they present to the ED. Both PJ and Racheal have independently, persistently and consistently maintained their version of events. My questions to the Minister are: Given that no security camera footage showing movements outside the ED is available, on what basis has the Minister concluded that the behaviour of the security guard was appropriate? In preparing a response for the Minister, did RAH officials interview either Racheal or PJ? If not, will the Minister meet personally with them to hear their side of the story? Is it correct that the security guard in question donned rubber gloves before his altercation with PJ, and that the same guard has threatened other homeless people in the vicinity of the RAH ED? Will the Minister speak with Chubb Security about appropriate choice of staff to be working in the ED? What are the improved procedures to identify homeless people, and why are these necessary? Posted 27 November 2006 Religious Morality "They only allow us to watch G and PG movies, oh, and M rated movies if there isn't any swearing." A 40-year-old paying tenant at Catherine House Women's Shelter in Adelaide 30 November 2006 Another Hutt Street Centre Conspiracy Theory Rumour has it that certain people want parts of Hutt Street Centre bulldozed, ostensibly to make room for low-income housing, but actually to destroy it as a shower, laundry, and lunch centre for those living at Afton House and primary homeless people. The housing would merely replace government houses and flats sold to richer people. Hutt Street management deny this, but Cappo probably wants it as he wants to starve the poor out of the Adelaide CBD. Street-to-home has already infiltrated Hutt Street Centre and has the legal ability to get access to Hutt Street Centre client records. They do this by insisting homeless people sign away their privacy rights when applying for housing. 4 December 2006 Scam Artist Alert in the Adelaide Homeless Scene There is a major predator in the homeless scene, quietly forming friendships then at an opportune time hits the person for a loan. John Andrew Green of Barmera got me for $1400 last month with a promise to pay back in one-week. His excuse was an inability to get money from his term account and the money was needed for a car for one of his children. The day after the loan he sent an email asking for another $1600, to buy an even better car, which I refused. Homeless predators are tricky operators and come across as decent people and it is hard to refuse a loan to someone in apparent great need. Green nailed an elderly man for a few hundred dollars. The man volunteers at Byron Place Community Centre. This was after the man gave Green lifts to doctors. He never paid it back and avoids Byron Place like the plague. Needless to say my $1400 hasn't come back either and this predator has become very, very elusive from me, but he is still in the Adelaide homeless scene. 4 December 2006 "Homeless" Commuters You can see the ex-homeless on the trains throughout the day, commuting to the city from Elizabeth and Noarlunga to be with their peer groups, to attend Fred's Van. Suburbia for some people is a psychological and social Siberia: the place you'd send people to punish them. It is particularly difficult for people with acquired brain damage who are simply dumped there. 5 December 2006 Unfair Distribution "People are saying that the Salvos don't bring as much food as Fred' Van, but some of us are also noticing other things. There are a few that push in, and keep on taking huge lots of stuff in bags, and then push in again. I was near top of line last night getting there at 6-10 PM, but only got one run, as they ran out about 6-8 ahead of me but noticed one guy could hardly stagger with what he had, and the Salvos kept on telling him that he'd had enough, but he still kept on grabbing handfuls of stuff each time, just pushing in each time." contributed by JL 5 December 2006 ******************************************************* "I don't think you'll be getting it back." So says another man who does unpaid work at Byron Place Community Centre. He was referring to the $1400 I lent the Scam Artist, John Green, mentioned above. The volunteer also lent him the Scam Artist $600 and used to drive him to doctors' appointments to treat a life-threatening condition. Then when it was time to repay the money John Green disappeared. 5 December 2006 Must Hutt Street Centre clients agree to a secrecy clause? Tabitha "Esmerelda" Collings at Hutt Street Centre has been reported to be intimidating clients into not speaking to anyone from this website due to their comments reflecting badly on the Centre. Perhaps what reflects more badly is Hutt Street Centre allowing Street to Home to use a room to interview people living outside and where confidentiality is an issue. This is because those seeking housing are “forced” to sign documents that surrender privacy rights regarding shared personal information between agencies. 6 December 2006 Donna Stumpf's Crisis Cancer tests for the woman with breasts lumps and swollen lymph nodes have not been favourable. She is due for exploratory surgery next week and will have full anaesthetic then discharged the same day. She has left Catherine House Women’s Shelter, finding the rules intolerable. (They say she isn’t allowed to speak to her husband). She is now living outside. However, the various government and church agencies are helping out. Tabitha Collings, of Hutt Street Centre has found lodging for her after the surgery. Guess where? Cathrine House Women’s Shelter. 6 December 2006 Running on Empty “Can you give me a big hug,” a desperate woman asked an employee at Catherine House, “and wish me the best?” “I don’t give hugs,” she replied, tilting her head back and exposing her nostrils. 6 December 2006 Desperation “Oh, please, please, someone help me,” the same homeless woman asks to no one in particular at Fred’s Van. “I’m not a bad person, am I?” 6 December 2006 In Praise of Street-to-Home? “Street to Home has been totally useless,” the homeless woman says. 6 December 2006 John Green Barmera scam artist, John Green, mentioned above also borrowed money from a worker at Westcare. The employee said he hadn’t seen the scam artist “since Christmas when he borrowed some money.” 6 December 2006 No tomato sauce, thanks There was heaps of food at Fred’s Van last night except for tomato sauce. Some guy grabbed the big bottle and spewed it over the footpath. He also smashed a cup on the footpath after saying niggers had ripped him off. Adam shouted back at him and the African fellow was unhappy because there wasn’t any tomato sauce. 6 December 2006 Otherway Catholic Centre "Good atmosphere," said a regular customer at the Otherway Centre. "Good place to meet friends, have a coffee." 7 December 2006 ************************************************ "Don't seem to be any scratches," said the woman who banged her car into the side of Shirley Peisley's Festiva at the Otherway Centre yesterday. She at first considered no damage had been done in the prang when she discovered no damage to her car. When her attention was drawn to the scrape on Shirley's Festiva she initially suffered sudden mental blankness, but recovered and went inside to report the damage to Shirley. At least she recovered quickly and acknowledged the damage unlike John Green who borrowed $1400 from a man in the homeless scene then lost memory of the transaction. Green is unable to mention the words "money" or "paying back" but threatens to visit the lender to "fix the problem". This is after sending somewhat threatening responses to requests for payment. 7 December 2006 A former Catherine House resident "They should take the word 'mercy' out of Sister of Mercy," says the homeless woman who moved from Catherine House, run by the Sisters of Mercy, back to living outside. 7 December 2006 Private Message 5/12/06 Dear Wayne (Rufus), This is cat mouse/baby mouse. I love you. Please don’t worry about me. Be true to yourself. I’m sorry that you’re unable to contact me. I will try to get a phone soon. Good luck to Chelsea. Thank you my love for caring for me. Take care. Love always, Mouse xxxxx Editor’s note: Wayne can communicate with the sender of this message through [email protected] One of a kind "Help, help, I'm dying." cried Moses, the two-metre tall fellow with the frizzy hair and who carries his boom box around in a shopping trolley. The EMT ambulance drivers ignored him and went to the real patient lying on the footpath at Fred's Van. Moses got up and began giving them medical advice. Good advice. Moses is one smart eccentric. 11 December 2006 Not Happy "Ian isn't happy." Tabitha "Esmerelda" Collings of Hutt Street Centre talking about Ian Cox' reaction to this column. It should be noted that Ian Cox has a first class reputation amongst people living outside. 11 December 2006 Lack of Co-ordination "Maureen and Paul [aged about 25] of Street to Home don't know what each other are doing. They're supposed to be a team." The homeless woman with oncology issues talking about the systemic failure within Street-to-home. 11 December 2006 More MACHA Lies "Just give us your details and we'll get back to you," chimed two MACHA employees at the Homeless Health Day in Whitmore Square.. They were asked by one man how long the MACHA housing waiting list was. They answered two and a half years. He said he'd been on it over three years. Do you think they ever got back to him? If you guessed, "no" you'd be right. He is a critic of MACHA and therefore probably has been dumped right off the list. Homeless Politics 11 December, 2006 More Homeless Politics "Special Dietary Requirements," asked the HomelessnessSA Conference Registration Form. Jo Wickes from HomelessnessSA said homeless, ex-homeless and those at risk of homelessness got free entry, just like the bureaucrats whose departments paid the $160 for two days. The former Editor of this column posted in his Registration Form for homeless free entry. He never heard a word from them. Homeless Politics. 11 December 2006 The Last Place in Adelaide The homeless woman with oncology problems has moved back into the Black Hole (Catherine House), according to a source in the parklands. Nowhere else to go and she needs a few days recuperation after exploratory surgery for cancer. Street to Home proved obstructive to the woman obtaining housing because she wouldn't agree to call her self crazy. 12 December 2006 Sour Grapes Woolworths has employed a full-time security guard to watch over its rubbish bin in Fisher Place back of Rundle Mall. Hungry people living outside have been removing food from it during the night. 12 December 2006 Pathetic Scam Artist John Green, mentioned above, was seen in the Sky City Casino during the night, according to one informant. Another person said he was back of Fred’s Van on the weekend. He usually pushes his way into the front of the queue. He was surveying the scene to ensure his creditors weren’t around. Perhaps he is also looking for new people to approach to borrow money from then not pay it back. 12 December 2006 David Waterford, Ghost Writer Rosanne Haggerty "wrote" Ending Homelessness in South Australia as part of her $250,000 "Thinkers in Residence" job. After reading "her" report one can't not marvel how she quickly picked up the Australian dialect in just a few weeks, even government jargon? Actually, she didn’t write it. She threw some ideas together and David Waterford and a few other bureaucrats in the Social Inclusion Commission whacked it together. “I didn’t write it,” Dave tells anyone who will listen, even if they don't ask him if he wrote it. 12 December 2006 Prevarication, Lies, Deception continued To: David Panter Chief Executive Central Northern Adelaide Health Service GPO Box 1898 Adelaide, SA 5001 Your References: 06MH0446 Doc: 06CNA01680 File: 06/00088 Dear Mr Panter I received your letter of 27 July, 2006 where you say Rob Pegram via John Forward will provide staff to answer further questions. You said you didn't think he had refused to answer questions previously as I had stated. I acted in good faith and responded to your letter and sent a list of questions to Pegram via John Forward as you suggested. Forward replied saying he would reply by 10th October. He didn't. It is difficult not to assume that your letter and Forward's email was merely a charade to confuse and delay any investigation of the matters detailed in my questions, particularly the alleged assault by Greg Calder of Street to Home. Yours sincerely, N Barber 12 December, 2006 Bye, bye Panter Is David Panter about to shoot through? His job of Chief Executive of the Central Northern Health Service has been advertised in The Advertiser newspaper of Saturday, 9 December. 12 December 2006 Inside the Big Lie The bureaucrats in the homeless industry see through the government and media but they're too compromised to go on the record with journalists. They're protecting their careers as much as their agencies. “Everyone knew it was a lie, except the public,” one veteran insider in the homeless scene told me last month. Street to Home hired inexperienced uni students to check the South Parklands one morning last winter for people living outside. The students found 37 people sleeping in the parklands south of South Terrace. The other areas of the Adelaide CBD weren’t checked but that didn’t stop Street to Home telling Roseanne Haggerty that the total number of people sleeping outside in Adelaide CBD was just 37. Roseanne then told the media. The Adelaide Advertiser printed the "37" figure then declined to print anything contradicting this obvious lie. Rex Jory promoted the lie and told one person living outside, and who counted more than 37 people sleeping on the ground, to “get lost” when he corrected the “37” figure. 13 December 2006 "Maybe." Elderly Barmera woman's response when asked if John Green was her son. 15 December 2006 Homeless Man Hit by Car Denied Treatment at Royal Adelaide Hospital (Another Case) Insiders might remember those pledges from John Forward of the Department of Health saying that Emergency Department patients at the Royal Adelaide Hospital will be kept in a special room with sandwiches and liquids. This was in recognition that many are hungry and dehydrated upon arrival. Wasn't that pledge a load of disinformation? Below is South Australian MP Sandra Kanck's media release about a homeless man being denied treatment at the Royal Adelaide Hospital after being hit by a car. Wednesday 13th December 2006 SOCIAL INCLUSION? - NOT FOR HOMELESS "Royal Adelaide Hospital A & E Department has again come under fire after mis-treatment of a second homeless man in recent weeks. "Democrats MP Sandra Kanck has heard that a man was the victim of a hit-run accident in Pulteney Street on Monday 11th December. “He suffered some injuries and was transported by the MAPS team to the RAH. He waited there for several hours without treatment before signing himself out. “The following day the Salvation Army arranged for him to go back to RAH A&E where he was greeted with “What are you doing back again” and shunted from triage, to area A then area B, each time being told they didn’t have room for him, before being sent to out patients. “At the time of his second presentation to RAH A&E, his visible injuries consisted of a red, swollen knee, lacerations along his lower leg, a cut to the back of the head and bleeding from the ear. “I just don’t get what is happening here. There are a multitude of government schemes and platitudes but when it comes to on-the-ground treatment for people who are living rough and doing it tough the action does not match the rhetoric. “John Hill has already assured me that processes are in place, clearly they are not and this doesn’t look like a caring and inclusive society to me. Sure people attending A&E need to wait and to be seen in priority order depending on their injuries, but this man had been smashed up by a car and was ignored,” said Ms Kanck. ---------------------------------------- Ms Kanck previously asked a series of questions* in Parliament about RAH’s treatment of PJ, a homeless man. Minister Hill has stated: `Improved procedures are now in place to better identify homeless people when they present to the emergency department.' Posted here on 15 December 2006 Street-to-home on the move Scott and a woman from Street to Home were prowling about Byron Place Community Centre last week. One observer said it didn't appear either was wearing Identification Badges. Maybe they removed them before getting out of the car. 18 December 2006 Marriage in strife Wayne (Rufus) has returned to care for Donna, his wife, facing oncology problems and being bounced from one dump to another by social workers and Street to Home. He has already been threatened with a knife, or so the story about him goes. I will try to corroborate it with Wayne. 19 December 2006 Cappo’s Cronies Cappo is promoting a bunch of real estate sleazebags including Theo Maras as the next weapon against homelessness. Cappo says he’s very proud of these sleazebags: “I am very proud of Adelaide’s business leaders. Joining forces with us in the fight against homelessness will produce great results.” But what sort of results? Jay Weatherill, Minister for Destroying the Housing Trust gives a hint as what to expect from these “business leaders”. In his Media Release of Saturday, July 15, 2006 he says of people already "housed". “These previously were the homeless people least likely to be housed and are now in secure accommodation.” “Secure accommodation” often means semi-prison housing with the inevitable psychiatric drugs and daily visits from government enforcers to observe the tenant swallowing his or her “medication”. A man who lived in this type of “secure housing” remembers one of Cappo’s Cronies. "Sometime in the 1980's I opened my bedroom window at 52 Hill St. North Adelaide only to hear loud vile abuse coming from a chunky pig standing in his back yard. It was Theo Maras (real name Kalamaras) The staff were always warning us to stay away from "that" neighbour as he caused a lot of trouble with his contacts in politics and "the department". One boy did break into his house and was later found dead. Bill Manos (of Manos Chickens) lives on the other corner. They are both still living there but in between them, Stuart house (where I lived) is no longer a boys’ home. I think it was sold by the department to appease the neighbours." So says the former inmate who sums up by adding, "The most terrible lies and injustices are this country's biggest growth industry." Thanks for his recollections of Theo Maras. 19 December 2006 John Green Update “It’s just a game for me,” said John Green, the Scam Artist from Barmera, yesterday at a chance meeting in Bentham Street. “It isn’t a game for me,” I replied, asking him why he hadn’t returned the $1400, borrowed for one-week to buy a car for his son. He became vague citing “issues” though admitted no car was purchased for his son. He agreed to pay some of the money back by putting it into my bank account. He wouldn’t specify the amount but this was irrelevant because he didn’t keep his word. I served him with a Court Order called a Final Notice of Claim which gives him 21 days to repay the money before the case moves to the Small Claims Court. What struck me was how relaxed, even happy he was with the whole business. 20 December 2006 Outside Again? Wayne and his wife, Donna, are reputed to be living on the streets again after an incident with a knife. It was a warning by a well-meaning third party and not an attack, my informant says. 20 December 2006 Charity Corporation Wastage and Cruelty St Vinnies wants donations then leaves buildings it controls empty. At least St Vinnies resisted going into the Job Network business where they get paid to kick people off welfare. The Salvos joined it boots and all. 27 December 2006 Gladys still kicking Gladys, the woman in the electric scooter was at the Teen Challenge Christmas Party in Hindmarsh Square. "Let's give her a big cheer," Warren called, saying Gladys was turning 80 the next week. Afterwards Gladys went to Fred's Van. Her toes were bandaged due to Diabetes symptoms. 27 December 2006 Scam Artist Update The Westcare worker who lent money to the Scam Artist for a "family reunion" in Loxton lent it from his personal money, not from Westcare money. The Scam Artist didn't pay it back. I asked the Scam Artist about it but his memory failed him. The Scam Artist couldn't seem to remember it. He acted confused, worried. Was there something that had slipped his mind, again? 27 December 2006 Sadness at Christmas "Good day, Good day, Good day," Billy said at the Teen Challenge Christmas Party, lightening the mood. We were all pretty tense and sad as people who live outside or on the fringe tend to be around the "festive" season. The staff at the Jasmin Restaurant brought tables and white cloths and served ham, turkey and prawns. One old man spent part of the time hiding behind the big tree crying. Two Salvation Army volunteers doing the rounds of Christmas Parties were amazed at the quality of the Jasmin food, comparing it with the Salvos. "The Salvation Army can't quite get it right, she said, commenting on the culinary skills of Army personnel. 27 December 2006 What the hell? "Feast or famine," said one man at Westcare just before Christmas. There were about 800 pies, loaves of bread and pastries on a day when visitor numbers were down. 27 December 2006 Afton not so good "Macha, hah, they run Afton House. That should be bulldozed with half the pricks inside. Afton isn't fit for a dog. Better outside," said a senior citizen living outside. 27 December 2006 Face-Saving Gesture Needed Still no word from the Thinkers in Residence section of the State Government. What will Roseanne Haggerty finally recommend to "help the homeless". One would expect something good for the $250,000 it has cost for her consultations. Will David Waterford, the Listerine Kid, write the report for her, just like last time, then paste in a few pictures of Cappo and Roseanne. Will they plonk Dave Walker's picture in it as an example of a success story. They plonked Dave out at Thebarton and put him on drugs but the side-effects are causing major health concerns for Dave. If nothing else the reports will provide insulating material for those sleeping on the ground when the weather turns cool. 28 December 2006 Mr Vanity Monsignor Father Vicar General Social Inclusion Commissioner David Cappo, man of humble means, put three pictures of himself in the latest Social Inclusion newsletter. It was just four pages and I'd like to report its contents but couldn't understand a single sentence. It was written in social work jargon. It could have meant the pancakes are burning or it could have meant they're going to shoot the homeless full of drugs. Could have meant anything. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Cappo didn't order his pictures in the newsletter. It might be David Waterford seeking promotion. 28 December 2006 No Excuses, Now Fred's Van were giving out shower packs including soap, a towel, toothbrush, Vietnamese Colgate toothpaste, shampoo and underarm deodorant shaped a bit like the male member and scrotum. The stuff came in a bag you hang from the shower. 28 December 2006 More Charity Resource Wastage "Why don't they just open it up?" asked a man living outside. He was commenting on the locked buildings and courtyard owned by Baptist Community Services at the Westcare Mission in Miller's Court. The buildings are awaiting renovation, have been for years. The courtyard would at least provide protection from the weather. 28 December 2006 Judy Goes Silent The senior social worker's voice verged on inaudible when asked how Wesley Uniting Port Adelaide Mission used Social Inclusion Commission money to help the residents of Supported Residential Facilities (psychiatric boarding houses) in Semaphore. "She didn't answer your question," an observer noted. "It was because we were becoming angry." This was right. They were becoming angry because of bad experiences in these places. One man further commented, "They welcome you with open arms. You move in and then you realise you've been conned. This leaves you with an emptiness that grows, blossoms but not in a good way." 28 December 2006 Bad Company Rumour has it that a couple of Cappo's cronies, Theo Maras and Jane Lomax-Smith have been jogging together. 28December 2006 |
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