Struggle Street

[mellie]

Anyone else here find this SBS reality-TV/doco depressingly confronting?

Why can't they remove these children from their neglectful families care?

It's too late for the older ones, though perhaps there's hope if they could intervene early enough before their parents ways have destroyed another generation.

And why couldnt social services lock up the pregnant pot-smoking mother for damaging her child before it's born?

Is it only child abuse after the child is born, meaning the child has no human rights as an unborn infant?

So tragic, but had to be aired.

[lisa jones]

Within 5 mins I had to switch it off. It made me angry.

There's no excuse for people to be/live like this in Oz. None whatsoever.

[mellie]

I got a little teary through the second one, the part where the autistic girl described how she felt when she attempted suicide due to being bullied at school.

Confronting,but necessary viewing I think.

Something has to be done about this.... I live in Melbourne now, and I can tell you there is no place in Melbourne as bad as this.

Sure, Melbourne has it's bad areas, but nothing like Mt Druitt.

It's a disgrace.

I lived in Sydney for best part of my life and always knew of Mt Druitt, everyone knows about Mt Druitt... though didn't imagine it to be this bad.

Awful.

[mantra]

I didn't watch much of it either, but not because it was depressing. My Foxtel IQ is playing up so I missed the part about the autistic girl, but the children are the ones I feel sorry for. They have no yardstick to measure pride and ambition and will probably bring their children up the same way.

Does poverty create a lack of pride or perhaps some people have no idea what it is. They're born into a slum and don't know life differently.

[boxy]

I agree, it's too depressing to watch for too long... imagine not being able to switch the channel, and having to live that life.

[Black Orchid]

I haven't watched it and I don't plan to. I imagine it would be extremely depressing and shocking viewing.

[AiA in Atlanta]

Don't know it. But the final episode of Mad Men ended last night. Ambiguous as hell. 96 mostly brilliant episodes strung over the best part of a decade. I am not one to miss TV shows but I will miss this one.

[roogal]

I found the program very depressing and it must be devastating for those residents. Being trapped with no hope of improvement or even to escape. Perhaps they would be better cared for if they turned to a life of crime, just to get improved medical and living conditions.
Then maybe this program will get the relevant authorities to help their dire situation.
What I found as truly devastating was the pregnant young woman who was smoking bongs and cigarettes with no concern for her pregnancy. And to think she even mentioned that her mother was on drugs or methadone when she was pregnant with her!
A never ending cycle of drug addiction.

Something has to be done

[Neferti]

I do NOT watch SBS and never even check to see what they have on. This Channel is another lefty-paid-by-taxpayer crap.

Does anyone remember what SBS means? Hint*



















































































Special Broadcasting Service ... paid for by the Australian Taxpayer and Multiculturalism.

[mellie]

True re-the SBS being another lefty tax-funded broadcaster, though I think this doco was necessary, albeit depressing viewing.

Like dirty laundry, It needed to be aired.

We really need to clean these areas up, they are seemingly beyond all hope.

Turning a blind eye, or changing the channel won't solve the problem.

My hope is that a number of prospective employers watched this doco and are more sympathetic towards those (particularly the youth)) from these areas.

I also hope our government step-up and make some meaningful difference to the lives of these poor wretches.

Someone/something has to take responsibility for these people, when it's clear, they aren't capable/lack the resources to take care of themselves.