The Daily Telegraph editorial: Economic trends hit Western Sydney hard

A new analysis of census data reveals that ­between 2011 and 2016 homelessness in Western Sydney has increased by 67 per cent. That translates in real terms to nearly 6000 people in Western Sydney who do not have a home to go to or a roof over their heads.

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Economic trends arrive in Western Sydney with greater impact than elsewhere.

Presently, much of Western Sydney is enjoying an economic revival that many throughout other areas of Sydney should absolutely marvel at.

The level of construction and investment is sensational, and will have a transformative effect well beyond our city.

But just as economic and social improvements are more clearly noticed in Western Sydney, any downturns are also more dramatic.

The effects of the Great Depression, for example, were far worse in Western Sydney than in wealthier regions.

Western Sydney was hit hard during The Great Depression.

While an estimated one in three breadwinners across Australia was unemployed in 1933, the level of unemployment and consequent desperation in Western Sydney was even ­higher. Many in Western Sydney took to the country by foot in search of work.

Homeless woman, Kathryn, 30, lives rough in Parramatta with her dog Jasper. She has a 13-year-old daughter who lives with her grandparents. Picture: David Swift

Thankfully, such times are now long past. But even as Western Sydney is undergoing a stunning revival, there are still areas of profound concern.

As The Daily Telegraph today reports, a new analysis of census data reveals that ­between 2011 and 2016 homelessness in Western Sydney has increased by 67 per cent.

That translates in real terms to nearly 6000 people in Western Sydney who do not have a home to go to or a roof over their heads.

For these people, it may as well be 1933 all over again.

According to Kate Colvin, from the Everybody’s Home campaign, the lamentable increase in homelessness is being driven by skyrocketing rental costs in formerly inexpensive housing markets.

Kate Colvin from the Everybody’s Home campaign.

“It is being experienced most acutely by ordinary working Australians in electorates in Western Sydney and regional NSW,” Colvin said.

The circumstances that force people into homelessness are many and varied, but almost all have at their core a simple ­inability to pay what it takes to maintain a property, however modest or small.

For minimum-wage earners, who get by from payday to ­payday, a rise in rent can mean a flat is no longer affordable.

During this holiday season, when so much is spoken of goodwill to our fellow man, please consider those whose circumstances are dramatically worse than your own.

LAWS THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE

Cars have improved enormously in recent years.

They handle better, brake better and are far safer than any previous era of personal motorised transport.

The laws of physics, however, remain forever the same.

A high-speed impact is still a high-speed impact, regardless of what you are driving.

Police say speed was a factor in at least half of the fatal crashes that killed seven people across our state over the weekend.

In those cases, the laws of physics tragically held sway over decades of technological advances. Please obey those laws.

MEN OUT OF THE CLASSROOM

Gender imbalance is the current hot topic in federal politics, with Labor and the Coalition taking shots at each other over respective levels of female representation.

This is a worthwhile debate, if it can lead to a merit-based improvement across politics, but there are other areas where gender imbalance may require more immediate action.

Presently, only 17.5 per cent of NSW primary school teachers are male. This is down even on figures from 2012, when only 19.5 per cent were male.

The situation is not much better in high schools, where the number of male teachers has now dropped below 40 per cent.

The number of men taking up teaching positions continues to decline.

The decline in male representation in schools leads to further declines, Macquarie University’s Kevin McGrath told The Daily Telegraph.

“It can be difficult to feel like you belong when you look around the staffroom and don’t see any other blokes,” he said.

“Male teachers now comprise a token group in schools.”

Children need positive male role models and men need employment opportunities. Solving this issue will be a benefit to all.

The Daily Telegraph, printed and published by the proprietor, Nationwide News Pty Ltd A.C.N. 008438828 of 2 Holt St, Surry Hills NSW 2010, at 26-52 Hume Highway, Chullora. Responsibility for election comment is taken by the Editor, Ben English.