In the very early morning of August 3, about 180 workers and volunteers from the City of Sydney’s Homelessness Unit will do a count of the “rough sleepers” in the city.
The previous count in February, when the weather was much warmer, found 363 people sleeping on Sydney’s streets. Last winter’s count was 289.
In an interesting feature on the “50 most powerful people in NSW” in the July 23 Sydney Morning Herald, David Marr said: “Power in Sydney may have begun ‘out of the barrel of a gun’ as chairman Mao observed. But the city has since been fundamentally fashioned by the power of money.”
It certainly felt that way as I walked through Darling Harbour last Friday. The waterfront was packed with gleaming luxury yachts for the Sydney Boat Show.
There were 188 of these rich people’s toys on display. Among them were “the Princess V85-S, an 85-foot luxury sports yacht which comes in at a cool $8.5 million and offers buyers and showgoers alike a chance to feel like royalty”.
I wasn’t there shopping for a yacht, but was on the way to a creative protest outside war criminal Tony Blair’s $1000-$1500 a head speaking engagement. Photos of this protest can be seen here.
Apparently, supermarket and department store owners are complaining that ordinary people are not spending like they used to.
Some might be terrified about round two of the global financial crisis and are watching their spending. Others just don’t have enough money left after paying soaring utility, food and housing bills.
But the rich are still happily spending on luxury goods. For them, Sydney remains their playground.
The gross disparity between the luxury yacht buyers and the hundreds sleeping on Sydney streets on a chilly winter’s night proves this city was fashioned by the rich and for the rich.
But it does not have to be like this.
If you share the dream of a different future, one that is shaped by justice and sustainability, then help keep alternative media alive with a contribution to the Green Left Weekly Fighting Fund.
Donate online today. Or make a direct deposit to Greenleft, Commonwealth Bank, BSB 062-006, Account No. 00901992.
Otherwise, you can send a cheque or money order to PO Box 515, Broadway NSW 2007 or phone in a donation on the toll-free line at 1800 634 206 (within Australia).