Poll - do you care about poverty (3 Viewers)

[ButterflyFish]

i just dont liek people like the red cross abusing poverty money

eg 100 million is donated and they take 2% for admin fees or some shit..

this crap is always happening...

quote]

Yeah, but if that money wasnt spent on admin... it wouldn't be possible to get there in the first place. Unless the company wants to exploit its own workers.

I dont know about the other NGOs but world vision spends a certain amount on advertising - but for every $1 that is invested in advertising, $8 is made! how good is that!

 

[katie_tully]

$11 would be better.

 

[fleepbasding]

yeah, I care a lot about poverty. I think it's an undesirable situation. Someone further down talked about travelling to Vietnam and Cambodia. I was recently in both of these countries, and yeah, when you "experience" more extreme poverty (and it's inarguably more extreme than in Australia (not that we shouldn't be helping Australians to)) it does cause you to "care" more (I know caring itself isn't going to fix much, but that is what this poll is asking). I also lived in Zimbabwe for 2 years and have travelled to a number of countries in Southern Africa. It is sad to see Zimbabwe now, a failed state. Anyway, I don't want to rant.

I'm not quite sure what is to be done to erradicate, or at least significantly lessen poverty, but I definitely think we should make an effort (not just a token effort either). It's a difficult issue, but for those that don't care at all, this is a result of a sheltered existence. Of this there is little doubt.

 

[MartinSpenser]

I care very much about poverty in third world countries. I just returned from Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique (and South Africa), some of the poorest nations in the world. The poverty of the people in these countries is extremely distressing.

 

[MartinSpenser]

I am one of those people who screams at the television when those advertisments come on.
Mainly because I really don't care about what everybody elses problems are, especially when there is such a thing as poverty in Australia.
Apparently caring about our own homeless isn't as 'vogue' as wearing crappy arm bands in support of anti poverty programs abroad.

I just returned from a mission trip to Africa - I laugh at your suggestion that there is poverty in Australia. There is not. At least, there shouldn't be if these 'homeless' people simply walk into a Centrelink office. Africa had people starving like you would not believe. It is distressing to see the majority of a whole nation's population starving. In Australia, the so-called 'hungry' are only hungry because they don't want to help themselves, even when they have the opportunity to do so.

 

[katie_tully]

Spare me your self righteous tirade, for I am not interested in it.

There is poverty in Australia. I laugh at your suggestion that these people can just walk into Centrelink and help themselves.

Africa is not Australia's problem. Africa is not my problem.

 

[ogmzergrush]

I just returned from a mission trip to Africa - I laugh at your suggestion that there is poverty in Australia. There is not. At least, there shouldn't be if these 'homeless' people simply walk into a Centrelink office. Africa had people starving like you would not believe. It is distressing to see the majority of a whole nation's population starving. In Australia, the so-called 'hungry' are only hungry because they don't want to help themselves, even when they have the opportunity to do so.

I saw something fucking stupid you said last night before bed and decided you must have been a troll. With four posts, and this being the second one that's made me think that, let's get this out of the way and declare you a troll.

 

[katie_tully]

lol. Imagine if Australia's disadvantaged could just walk into Centrelink and become welfare dependant.

I think he just solved all our problems!

 

[ogmzergrush]

lol. Imagine if Australia's disadvantaged could just walk into Centrelink and become welfare dependant.

I think he just solved all our problems!

"So sir, could we get some sort of postal address, contact number?"

"Uhhh, do you know what homeless means?"

"How about a mobile number?"

"No... I've got goon though, if it's a good week"

"Oh, right. Well, not to worry, look, here's your money anyway!"

Who'd have guessed it was that simple eh? I really like how people on here manage to solve the mysteries of life.

 

[katie_tully]

That made me laugh so hard. It's as though Australia's homeless CHOOSE to sleep on park benches.
It's as though Ross Turnbull decided he'd rather eat watered down soup than caviar.

 

[MartinSpenser]

That made me laugh so hard. It's as though Australia's homeless CHOOSE to sleep on park benches.
It's as though Ross Turnbull decided he'd rather eat watered down soup than caviar.

Realistically, the homeless people in Australia do choose to sleep on park benches. There is opportunity for these people; none for people in third world countries.

 

[katie_tully]

Realistically you're full of shit, and it isn't as easy as dragging yourself off the park bench and strolling into Centrelink.

 

[MartinSpenser]

When does being a member of Bored of Studies make me any more or less capable of commenting on issues? What does it matter that I have only posted considerably less times than you have? A person's makeup comes from their LIFE experiences, not from the number of posts they have made on an internet forum.

 

[MartinSpenser]

Realistically you're full of shit, and it isn't as easy as dragging yourself off the park bench and strolling into Centrelink.

'Centrelink has many procedures and services in place to help homeless and at-risk people, including a network of specialised staff, such as Social Workers, Indigenous Specialist Officers, Centrelink Community Officers and Specialist Youth Servicing Units.
Centrelink is sensitive to, and flexible about, the varying needs of people of all ages who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Centrelink can connect those at risk of becoming homeless or those experiencing homelessness with local community agencies offering help with finding accommodation and overcoming barriers that may be affecting people's lives. Centrelink can also help customers access appropriate income support options, establish proof of identity and provide intensive personal support.
If a person is unable to produce standard forms of primary identification (such as a passport, driver's licence, Certificate of Australian Citizenship, and birth certificate), Centrelink can find alternative ways of establishing identity. This involves customers completing a form giving Centrelink permission to verify their identity by other means such as contacting schools, family members, hospitals, community agencies and landlords.
Specialist staff also help people to deal with personal and social barriers to finding and maintaining appropriate accommodation and other support services in their community.
Centrelink administers a number of programs and services offering intensive personal support and assistance to young people who are homeless, or who are at risk of becoming homeless and their families. '
http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/services/homeless.htm

Why isn't it that easy?

 

[katie_tully]

Never said anything about your post count. It's irrelevant.

What is not irrelevant is when you make self righteous posts, and completely ridiculous comments about disadvantaged people in Australia.

 

[katie_tully]

Excellent, it's good to know that your solution to the problem in Australia is to have them become welfare dependant, thus perpetuating the problem.

Explain to me why Africa should be of our concern?

 

[ogmzergrush]

When does being a member of Bored of Studies make me any more or less capable of commenting on issues? What does it matter that I have only posted considerably less times than you have? A person's makeup comes from their LIFE experiences, not from the number of posts they have made on an internet forum.

Perhaps you've misinterpreted my reasoning in bringing up your post count. The reason I thought it was relevant was that it meant that from the two posts of yours I've seen (50% of them), I'm led to believe that you're a bit of a dick. I don't care if you've posted three million times, maintain that percentage and my point will be the same.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

What you have to understand MartinSpenser... is that in Australia, being on welfare and just scraping by is poverty. Now as for the people in Africa, how exactly do you think we should fix the problem? I mean, you're looking at a large chunk of the population of these countries having aids, what the hell do you do with them? You've got a terminally ill country...

I'm more than willing to help out africa, and I think most western nations actually do (in the sense of giving money), we've given extensive amounts of money over the past say 50-60 years and what improvement have we seen? None. The problem has nothing to do with money and all to do with trade practices and the dark(as in bad... not black) cultures which have risen up in their societies. I don't think we can go to these sort of places expecting to 'fix' them, these people are very hard worn and strong, I fear if we attempted to all out 'fix' africa we would get eaten alive.

 

[katie_tully]

I'd like to know what Martin thinks about this.

if the homeless people of australia choose to be homeless, when they can help themselves on welfare, then would he expect the same from africans, if african nations had a similar welfare system?

Would you be then saying that the African's choose to be homeless, and they should get up and do something about it?

 

[HotShot]

That made me laugh so hard. It's as though Australia's homeless CHOOSE to sleep on park benches.
It's as though Ross Turnbull decided he'd rather eat watered down soup than caviar.

dont laugh, i was playin cricket and we lost the ball one of mates smacked a big six in to the bushes.

at the end of the match, this lets say hobo found the ball and returned it to us. And then he explained to us that he was good cricket players and wanted to join our team. my captain took it seriously, and then asked for his home number to give the details.

he replied he doesnt have a number, later he said that his mom lives at home. then we asked where he lives, he pointed just at the back ground in the ditch, so we got his number and we told him we will give him a call.

the guy was a complete retard, i doubt he was on centrelink probably not smart enough to go there. that is not poverty the guy, surely must have fucked his life at somepoint.

Pverty in australia is mostly caused by people fucking up their own lives, gambling, smokin drugs etc. where as in africa, they are poor basically as soon as they are born. there is a clear difference.

Centrelink is awesome, not all countries have this welfare system. only a few do. its good, the average man can get some money by doing nothing. i dont know why u laugh, but get acquainted to the realism of life u dont become poor in australia just like that- u have to fuck up. and essentially thats ur fault.