This week on 7.30 ACT

As I read this story:

http://the-riotact.com/dunlop-to-get-trees/109793

and particularly “Territory and Municipal Services recently undertook a comprehensive audit of street trees in Dunlop which identified those that require maintenance works as well as vacant sites for street tree planting” – I thought how good it would be if we cared as much about our invisible people as we apparently do about our trees.

I made a point of watching this too. Like one of the people interviewed said, many people might be one or two y packets away from that situation. It makes you thank your lucky stars and feel totally helpless at the same time.

One of the people who runs one of the aid organisations had to cut 750k from her budget this year – that sounds like a few pieces of street art and a Sky Whale to me. It’s not much money for a government to fund, but a lot for a not for profit to either find elsewhere or cut.

Masquara said :

If the government tightened up ACT Housing and got rid of the housing cheats, that would free up hundreds of dwellings straight away.

Agreed but I think the housing department has to jump through a lot of legal hoops to start getting tenants out.

Thanks IrishPete and HiddenDragon for the links. I just watched it.

Not sure there is an easy solution but at least there are some people working on it. The funding issue is a disgrace, though.

If the government tightened up ACT Housing and got rid of the housing cheats, that would free up hundreds of dwellings straight away.

Agreed. An excellent segment.

This is the full half hour:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-12/homeless-in-canberra/4817922

and the segments:

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/act/

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/act/

Is this episode available on the net anywhere ? I have had a look but no joy.

Any links would be greatly appreciated.

Some superb work by the 7.30 ACT team this week, quality journalism and great production values. I think it actually showed up the national program, which in recent months has been adopting all the hallmarks of a tabloid (ham music, fast crop shots, yuck). Very good.