As the temperature drops, think of the homeless. Imagine what it might be like not to have a roof over your head. It doesn't bear thinking about, does it?
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And yet, their plight is here in plain sight - and getting worse, according to those who help them.
Two sets of figures show a stark contrast between this city's prosperity of the many and the misery of a few.
Only this week, the Australian Local Government Association showed that the wages Canberrans earn are nor far off double the national average. We lead the nation in terms of our incomes after tax. And we are moving further ahead of the rest of Australia.
But on the other side, the charity Safe Shelter said that in the first seven weeks of winter, demand at the shelters, including church halls, it runs in Canberra has jumped by 80 per cent over the same period last year.
![Some Canberra homeless shelters have been forced to turn men away at the door - instead putting them up in swags outside. Picture: Elesa Kurtz Some Canberra homeless shelters have been forced to turn men away at the door - instead putting them up in swags outside. Picture: Elesa Kurtz](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc758uvh1kria1427oijqa.jpg/r0_420_4110_2731_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
As demand by homeless people has surged, the shelter's volunteers have been forced to turn men away at the door - instead putting them up in swags outside.
Swags outside!
As demand by homeless people has surged, the shelter's volunteers have been forced to turn men away at the door - instead putting them up in swags outside. Swags outside!
The first thing to say is that this is Christianity in action and we should salute those who help people at the very bottom. When men are down, they deserve a hand and not a kick.
This is not glamorous charity in the glare of adoring publicity. This is grimy, thankless work by volunteers - volunteers, remember - in the cold done by people because it's the right thing to do.
It is very easy to be heartless where the homeless are concerned. We may feel they have brought it on themselves. Is there not work they could do? Do they not have families to rely on?
But homelessness is not invariably the fault of the homeless. According to the Salvation Army, there can be a raft of causes beyond the control of the victim.
Family violence may drive women from home. There may be mental health issues which mean someone can't get a job with decent wages. Divorce may mean the home is split with one spouse out on the streets.
As the Salvation Army puts it: "Sometimes homelessness is a result of something as simple as losing your job, your car breaking down or some incident that stops you from being able to pay your rent or accommodation expenses."
And the Salvation Army believes that it's often caused by a shortage of housing.
In this city, "development" is one of the buzz words. Architects' glossy pictures show how they would like us to imagine some fancy new apartment block.
But there is a danger of being carried away with the glamour of Canberra's growth - all that stainless steel and glass facade and dreams of attracting money.
But politicians shouldn't forget the needs of those without a political voice. Housing for all matters. It should have a place on the blue-prints.
It may be tempting to push the problem into the future - and to let the heroic volunteers deal with the human debris in the meantime. Out of sight, out of mind, is tempting.
But this would be short-sighted.
Research has shown that deeply divided societies suffer in many ways - with higher crime rates, mental illness, drug addiction, obesity and imprisonment. A chasm between rich and poor hurts the rich, too.
Forget the homeless today and be sure that we will be reminded much more bluntly in years to come.