Just another day on the streets for the homeless

The homeless are at the mercy of the intensifying climate. During last summer's heat wave, Melbourne Mayor Robert Doyle provided free access for the homeless at city swimming pools. Of course they needed to shower and be supplied with togs and towels. Many had been moved on from the air-conditioned shopping malls, despite Melbourne having several days over 40 degrees.

The homeless are the measure of our failure to care as a society, and globally. They are not experiencing the mythical trickle down effect of economic growth. The world'srichest 85 people have as much wealth between them as 3.5 billion of the world's poor.

The footprint of the homeless is small. They are given only a miniscule share of the Australian dream, but a giant share of the budget austerity plan.

The impoverished people are the collateral damage of structural inequality and the vast divisions created by austerity policies. When those who fall upon hard times are seen as undeserving 'leaners' and undeserving of a hand up, we deny the community responsibility that we share. As the song goes 'sometimes in our life, we all have pain we all have sorrow' We may 'all need somebody to lean on.'