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| English: Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard at a Q & A Session in Rooty Hill, New South Wales (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
They are not vagrants or bums but homeless
New Zealanders who have previously lost their jobs because of the economic situation in Australia. But because they came to Australia after 2001 the
Australian Government changed the law and will not give these people any state assistance, no
welfare benefits or student loans to retrain and seek other forms of work. They don't have any regular income and can't afford rental accomodation around
Sydney. They are not in a position to return to their families in New Zealand, and many are too ashamed to let their families know how low their situations have deterioated to. They left the
NZ to join the greener grass on the other side of the ditch - the Tasman Sea. Most were in good employment but during 2007-2009 employers started laying off their employees. Once their money ran out, they found things extremely difficult; couldn't afford to continue living in their apartments and rental housing. Now they are living under a bridge with no future prospects.
On Thursday of this week, April 25, Australians and New Zealanders will celebrate '
Anzac Day' and the sacrifices their old soldiers made in
Gallipoli during WW1 and all wars since. Anzacs fought together and supported each other in times of hardship, but
Julia Gillard the
prime minister of Australia has refused the urgings of the NZ Government to give some support to those Kiwis. So those unforunate New Zealanders who are not vagrants or bums will have to continue living under that Sydney bridge.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/8542785/Homeless-Kiwis-live-under-a-Sydney-bridge
