Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: You are stigmatized in a way. It's like, oh, where are you? Where are you now? Oh, you're in a motel and you think, oh, it's like, oh, wow. It's like living in a caravan park, you know, things like that. People sort of like look down on you a little bit, you know, And I think, oh, you know. But unfortunately, I used to be there. Now here, I still don't think I'm rock bottom or anything like that yet.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: Welcome to Unhoused Voices from the Threshold, a podcast exploring housing and homelessness in the Bega Valley, New South Wales.
The makers of this podcast would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands, waterways and sky country across the Bega Valley. Sh.
My name is Lisa and I'll be your guide throughout the podcast series.
In this episode, number three, you will meet two single men, one in his mid-60s and one in his mid-70s, who have each experienced homelessness or unstable housing. First up, let's get out and about in the Bega Valley and see what the community is thinking.
Are you aware that there's homelessness in the Bega Valley?
[00:01:24] Speaker C: I am. I would. I am. I have a granddaughter who is now down in Melbourne, but she was working with the Young Social Justice Advocate School.
[00:01:37] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:01:37] Speaker C: So they actually had a project before she left which was on homelessness.
[00:01:42] Speaker B: Right.
Do you think the homelessness in the Bega Valley has changed since you arrived? When did you arrive in the valley?
[00:01:49] Speaker C: In the Valley, we arrived in 1980, 1977 in Marimbula and then moved to Tatha in 1979.
[00:01:58] Speaker B: Was there homelessness that you were aware of?
[00:02:00] Speaker C: No, not really.
Looking back, you think? Well, there possibly was, but we weren't aware of it. But I certainly am now.
[00:02:08] Speaker B: Yeah. Are you aware that there's no youth refuge in the Bega Valley?
[00:02:13] Speaker D: Well.
[00:02:16] Speaker C: I don't know that. I'm just trying to think if I've thought of it.
[00:02:19] Speaker B: So the closest one is Meruya.
[00:02:22] Speaker C: Well, if there isn't, there should be.
And that's where the old. The community cultural centre that the community areas, when the main building can be occupied.
[00:02:32] Speaker B: Is that up at the old Bega Hospital?
[00:02:34] Speaker C: When it can be occupied, hopefully, then we will hopefully be able to get community meeting. Whether you're the police, the churches, the Rotary, the people who are the tenants there, Any group can meet if there's problems in the Valley or that we meet as a whole community and thrash out what's needed politely.
[00:02:59] Speaker B: So like a circle of elders.
[00:03:02] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:03:03] Speaker C: Having done some reading on community Centres around the country. This was a thing that came out of the Tamworth and Tamworth's a lot bigger area than Bega. But the Tamworth youth area, they're open all night, so they have basketball court, they have things there for people. So if young people are homeless or they're.
They've had to leave home for whatever reason for a short time, there's things for them to do. Now, I know all of that can't be done. I know all of that takes money, but at the same time, if we don't start planning, then we'll never get it. But if we start planning, we may see a road, a way forward. That's what I would like to see in time. And then once again, that's a community involvement.
[00:03:49] Speaker B: So we were chatting earlier and we mentioned that perhaps in some cases community has to function more like a family.
[00:03:56] Speaker C: Yep, yeah, yep, you do. And families don't, don't always smile. They're not always smiling at one another and they don't always think the same.
[00:04:10] Speaker B: You'll now meet Sean, who is 74, and Greg, who is 66 years old.
Shaun is being helped by local support services, Mission Australia.
Greg is being supported by the people in his community.
If you or someone you know needs some support, please see the show notes for a list of local services.
And note there is some mild language in this episode.
[00:04:41] Speaker A: I'm sean and I'm 74 years old.
I'm at present living in a motel room as I can't find a suitable unit at a suitable price and just very difficult around Rimbula area and Biga Valley generally.
I just think it's hard to find somewhere to live.
I had a lease, my last place for 16 years and I was just told to leave because it was being renovated and after 16 years it was very difficult to find somewhere in a very short time.
So I've had to resort to living in a motel room. So I find it very difficult to find somewhere even. Although if I wanted to pay, you know, I was in the unit I had, all of a sudden he's going to renovate and that was it and didn't give me an option of moving back in after a couple of months or anything like that. So. But, but it is, it's just. I mean, I'm staying in the motel. I mean, it's like in a room and it's still costing me $380 a week there.
But it's very difficult, like even, even renting, even there because I know that one lady that's there, she's 80. But he, and he's now put her rent up to 420.
And you know, I don't know why, you know, why would he.
He's got all of the. He's got lots of long term people living there.
I feel as though sometimes people take advantage of the situation of homelessness really and they just think they'll get as much as they can.
[00:06:54] Speaker B: How long are you likely to stay at the motel now?
[00:07:02] Speaker A: I don't know. I don't know.
And I have a problem with my eyes.
I go just to Canning street here and I get injections for macular degeneration, which is another problem I have as well. So I've lost a little bit of my mobility, so to speak in that sense, you know. But I still feel as though I can, I can still sort of like see it's like I can't recognize people anymore. Still adjusting even now. Like I said, when I was living in Marimbula it was at Fish Pen so I knew my way around. I could still walk over the bridge and go to town and walk around the lake up to the beach, things like that. And I had a little courtyard and everything so it was okay for my son to come and visit because him and his partner and, and the baby and they could stay with me. But now that's gone now as well, you know, you can't have anybody coming to stay in the one room, you know. So it's, it's just a big change for me altogether with my eyes as well.
Like I said, I didn't need any help at that time, although it was there. But I didn't feel as though I needed it until the crunch came and then I just.
Shit, what am I going to do, you know.
And yeah, I was in the hotel business most of my life.
Not pubs but hotels and Cruise liners for 10 years, things like that. So I used to cooking and things. Now it's difficult, difficult, you know, to do that. So I'm.
I'm getting to that old man stage. I think, you know that I never thought I'd get to, you know, like I still don't know where to get a cardigan and slippers from. I don't know, it really change. I haven't loved it down here really. But like I said now if I was still in my unit, I wouldn't even be here. I would still.
I wouldn't have actually thought of coming for help basically for people like here, like Mission and things like that. Because for me even although I was still paying rent and electricity and everything where I was, and food. And I was happy there, you know, obviously within the means of my pension. Basically, it's all I live on now, which is not much.
I mean, they give extra money for pensioners. They give us $6.40 a fortnight extra, which is what can't buy. Just buy a coffee for that, if you're lucky.
[00:10:02] Speaker B: So you just mentioned they're asking for help.
[00:10:05] Speaker A: I was embarrassed to, you know, ask for things. I never asked for anything until this has happened, really. And I've been on the pension, I've been paying my private rent and everything. But when everything is just.
Well, I just never even thought about when you're there, you're signing a yearly lease. And I just rolled on and rolled on and rolled on.
And I did lots of work there. I painted it, I put a kitchen floor because it wouldn't changed the liner and things. So I did things like that. You know, I made a courtyard for myself.
[00:10:47] Speaker B: I think you're right. We all kind of go along as.
[00:10:50] Speaker A: If everything's going to be okay. And then all of a sudden, and I didn't get lots of notice. It was probably only two months. Normally you're supposed to get three months and.
[00:11:04] Speaker B: And at first did you think, oh, just look for another place that'll be okay, or was it just a big shock?
[00:11:10] Speaker A: I went into a bit of depression, I think, really. And, well, I did. And then they said there's not much around or you can pay 500 bucks a week. And at that time, I never thought of, like, people like mission and get help or whatever. I just was out of my way of thinking.
[00:11:32] Speaker B: Yeah. What was the first step you took towards reaching out?
[00:11:36] Speaker A: Well, it was. It was actually one. Another lady that lives at the motel who.
She said, oh, well, there's a one coming up in a couple of days time or so I could move there. And I didn't have to, like, take anything with me other than my, you know, clothes and a few, you know, cups and things like that. Well, I even gave a lot of stuff up to. I just gave it all away to do Salvation Army. I just said, come around and just take everything. You know, I couldn't be bothered moving at all. And I just thought.
And then when the motel came up and I thought, well, I don't have to do anything. I can just go there somewhere where I didn't have to think about getting somewhere, signing a lease, moving in, getting electricity on and all those things that was just like stuck in your Head and you think, oh, you know. And like, you know, I'm in my mid-70s now and it's just been like after 16 years I was in that unit, I was home there.
[00:12:43] Speaker B: That was.
[00:12:43] Speaker A: It was home, you know. And I thought, wow, this is okay. Because he told the estate agent, don't get rid of me. You know, keep him, you know, I like him as a tenant. But it didn't change his mind when he came down, you know, and just, you know.
[00:13:00] Speaker B: When did your eyes start giving?
[00:13:02] Speaker A: Probably about five years ago. But it's got worse and worse.
At first I just thought I need new glasses and I couldn't see for shaving.
I went to get new glasses and the guy said to me, you've got to go and see about your macular.
And then I went to see Dr. Here. It's not really lots more he can do other than this. The injections are starving and off.
If I've had my eyesight fully, I would.
I'd be less stressed than I am now because I just feel that I've got to ask for everything now. I don't know, I can't.
Like I said, I can't read things. I can write, I can write, but I can't write anymore, you know, I couldn't write a letter now. I don't sleep well at night because I don't. I don't want to get up at 8 o' clock in the morning anyway because I've got nothing to do there. Just I've got a view of the car park. Lucky I can't see that well. I was comfortable, like I said, 16 years I knew everything, what everything was and everything so it didn't bother me. But now and then, and I know that this is interim and then I've got to move and then it's another.
Another stress to find somewhere. Although at least I'm not on the park bench yet.
[00:14:35] Speaker B: Mission, the first organization that you.
[00:14:39] Speaker A: I can't help. I can't. To be quite honest, I can't even.
No, it was, it was IRT helps me with a lady coming into cleaning unit. She got a nice easy job now because I've only got that room and things like that and take me shopping once a fortnight as well. At that stage I was still in my unit and I was getting help because of my mobility, my eyesight. And it was IRT that put me onto Sally and Sally put me on to mission.
[00:15:15] Speaker B: So people are helping you find a more stable place to live?
[00:15:20] Speaker A: Yeah, well, hopefully, yeah. Hopefully. Well, yeah, that's that's what I'd like if I can get private rental, which is obviously Mission had said or via Ingrid here saying that, you know, I could probably get a subsidy via here for some help in that sense of going back. Which in a way makes me think why didn't I know these little things? And hopefully I got that help that I could have still kept my unit at a decent rent and I would get help with it and save me all the stress of moving. But I didn't. I never even thought about.
I just thought I'll just sign the lease again. It probably put the rent up a bit more, you know, I thought, you know, another 20 bucks or something or whatever a week or whatever. And I thought oh yeah, well that's it. And.
But no, it was just oh well the rent actually went to four. I think it's 450 or 460 where, where I was right. And I was paying 3, 320. I think I was paying 320 but now, now it's 460.
So that's really. I wouldn't have get 1100 or something pension. You, you know, you.
That's 500, say 550 and 460 in rent. So. Well, electricity on top of that, food on top of that.
It was unexpected for me. I expected a rent increase, not an eviction notice. Yeah, got to be out in two months and that really like I said. Yeah, you know, like I said I'm 74 and it was just a whack really just you've got to be out and that was. It really took me.
But you are year to year so it's not as though it's like you have a business and give me a five year plus five lease, you know, which I think in a way would help if somebody had. Like he said, I'm a good tenant, don't let him go, you know.
But I think because the valuation had told him if you do work you it'll be worth more and you'll get more rental for it. But whatever.
Yeah. I would just say to think about whatever you're going to do if the rent goes sky high and even. There's a young couple that lived next door to me and this was the only unit that was really their kitchen was like terrible non existent. It was like just a couple of unfitted cupboards and a sink unit just as. As it was and no stove as well. You know, they had one of those little.
Two hot plates in a little oven, you know.
[00:18:30] Speaker B: That's interesting, isn't it? So they're, they're really holiday, holiday apartments that are being used as long term rentals.
[00:18:40] Speaker A: Well, that's. That. Well, that's. The motel is doing the same here now. I find that there's not that many rentals now because people are doing sort of like Airbnb and, and doing up the old places if they have to, and then they'll.
Well, I basically paid the unit off for him in the eight years, that's for sure. You know, what he paid is paid off. You know, that was it. You can go. And now I've spent that money. The new tenant will pay that off as well, which is the way it is. I used to have a rental property myself and rent that out.
[00:19:17] Speaker B: But how long are you likely to stay at the motel now?
[00:19:21] Speaker A: I don't know.
I'm stressed there and I'm stressed thinking of having to move again and go somewhere again new. I don't know where, I don't know when, I don't know. I know that I'm getting as much help as I think it's maybe possible for me to get.
And another thing is I was embarrassed to ask for help. I was like, oh.
And then people would hear my phone calling saying, oh, Mission Australia, what are they calling you for? Because I don't tell people anything. You know, it's a tough life sometimes. I never used to think about it, but now, now I'm here.
[00:20:10] Speaker B: But would you tell other people to think about it, the future?
[00:20:16] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Well, if you're leasing somewhere, you have to think now. Yeah, you have to think, well, what am I going to do next year if I get thrown out? And like I said, the young couple next door, when I got thrown out, they said, oh, well, we probably put our rent up. But they didn't get the rent put up yet. He gave them.
They've had an eviction notice now as well. So yeah, that's the way it is.
And plus, it's like it's Marimbula. So they just think, oh, well, you know, will easily get the rent here for that, you know, but there are places lying empty which you can't get.
[00:20:54] Speaker B: You know, what kind of assistance would you like more of what would really help you right now?
[00:21:00] Speaker A: Even if it won a hundred million dollars, it wouldn't matter to me because I can't see.
That's my problem, unfortunately. I never thought I'd be in a situation like this.
So I had or have to. And I'm still seeking help from Mission Australia and they're Being very good, trying to find me something on a more permanent basis, whether it be private rental or government housing, hopefully if I can get something like that. But it's a position that I never thought I'd, I'd be in, you know, even. Even although paying a sort of expensive rent, I was still happy, but that's not enough. They still put the rent up more and it's just very difficult to find something.
[00:22:08] Speaker B: As we were about to publish this episode of Unhoused, we heard that Shaun has finally been approved for the private rental subsidy by holmes New South WA.
He will now have a budget of up to $520 per week and he will pay, as he would in a social housing property. The 25% of his income and his full rent assistance will subsidise the difference.
Shaun will be able to stay with this subsidy in place in a private rental until a social housing property becomes available.
So a much better option than the motel he is currently in.
As Sean's caseworker from Mission Australia says, however, fingers crossed, we just need to find a private rental property. Looking for a longer term tenant.
Now you'll meet Greg and Sam, both of Bermagui.
While Greg was in foster in his 50s, he was diagnosed with spinal cancer and spent 10 years in a room recovering, which is one of the reasons he says, he doesn't want to live in a house now.
It was after his recovery from cancer, when he came home to Bermagui that he met Sam and they became friends.
Recently, Greg had another medical emergency.
Sam and the community got together, looked after Scout the dog and raised enough money to buy Greg and Scout a van to live in.
We caught up with them both in Bermagui recently.
So I'm with Sam Davis and Sam recently helped a gentleman out by the name of Greg, or Hass, as he's known in Bermagui, and helped him get a roof over his head.
So, Sam, tell me what you did and what your motivation was.
[00:24:00] Speaker D: My motivation probably was just to kind of experiment with basic logic where you've got somebody who's really, you know, part of a community who needs some help and just, just to make everybody join in and do it. And you. I didn't even have to make any. Everybody, they just were keen.
Everybody wanted to, you know, throw in a little something to help, even if it was, you know, a roast chicken here or a pub lunch there or, you know, a shower or blah, blah, blah. But then the cash started flowing in when Greg got out of hospital, and so it ended up as the van. And it's just so. It was just so logical. I think that was the thing. And it had a beginning and an end, and it was terrific. And you were just saying before you switched on play how, you know, how do you proceed? And you're talking about young people trying to help them with homelessness, et cetera.
That is so curly. But can it not just be made more simple?
[00:25:10] Speaker B: Tell me your recent story. You found yourself homeless, I gather?
[00:25:16] Speaker E: I was married for 20, 22 years, something like that.
And things just wore out, you know, we were just like, sick of looking at each other.
She left. That's all right. I got the dog bar. She gave me the dog.
[00:25:35] Speaker B: So when your wife left, were you living in a house in the room?
[00:25:39] Speaker E: Yeah, we used to.
Typical. Could not earn enough to get a deposit.
If we had had the deposit, we could.
We paid enough rent, I think 385,000, that we could have bought a house.
But because we couldn't get a 12, I think it was 25% deposit.
Once we got kicked out of the house, I left because we should have been in a cheaper house.
[00:26:09] Speaker B: But so did you. You found it unable. You were unable to pay the rent.
[00:26:13] Speaker A: Once.
[00:26:14] Speaker E: Once. Once Karen left, couldn't pay the rent.
[00:26:16] Speaker B: Just one person.
[00:26:17] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:26:18] Speaker B: So what did you do after that?
[00:26:20] Speaker E: I just hung out in the trees with a hammock and went up the river and so you went bush? Yeah, I just had enough. I just couldn't. I worked basically 20 years.
I was worn out. That's it. This is it. I'm over this shit.
[00:26:39] Speaker B: So how long did you sleep rough.
[00:26:42] Speaker E: For the last 10 years?
Yeah, just under a tarp. That's all. Just like. That's all you need or something that you. If it starts raining, you're not going to get, but in a warmer temperature is better. I just had to come home because I know here. I've been here 66 years, on and off.
[00:27:02] Speaker B: When you say you wanted to come home, where were you?
[00:27:05] Speaker E: We got to Foster and the idiot had already bought a shop.
Build a fish shop.
I thought we were traveling around Australia.
[00:27:17] Speaker B: So how old were you when you were traveling home to Birmingham?
[00:27:20] Speaker E: 61.
[00:27:21] Speaker B: And how old are you now?
[00:27:23] Speaker A: 66.
[00:27:24] Speaker B: Okay.
So when did you meet Sam?
[00:27:28] Speaker E: First.
First day.
[00:27:32] Speaker A: What was it?
[00:27:33] Speaker E: The first day I was back in Birmingham.
[00:27:35] Speaker D: Oh, was it?
[00:27:36] Speaker E: Yeah, because I started screaming.
[00:27:37] Speaker A: I think next he had one of.
[00:27:39] Speaker E: His tantrums because he wouldn't give me a pie on tick.
[00:27:42] Speaker B: Oh, okay.
[00:27:44] Speaker E: I've been buying pies in that shop. It would not Sell me. He would not give me a pipe on tick for two days until I got paid.
[00:27:54] Speaker B: Right.
[00:27:54] Speaker E: And I lost my. I went.
[00:27:58] Speaker D: I've blocked this out of my mind. Right.
[00:28:00] Speaker C: All right.
[00:28:01] Speaker B: So how about you? Okay. So you. You two connected over a pie.
[00:28:05] Speaker E: Over a pie? Yeah, she bought me a pie.
[00:28:08] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:28:09] Speaker D: Well, he did hang around Baz's a lot.
[00:28:10] Speaker E: Yeah. I was basically living at the footpath.
[00:28:14] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:28:14] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:15] Speaker D: We got talking, right. I thought, oh, God, who's this? And then actually, when he opened his mouth, it's actually a little bit more interesting than a lot of the other people around town. I thought, that's all right. That's a relief.
[00:28:27] Speaker B: So you were just sleeping wherever at the this time when you first got back?
[00:28:32] Speaker E: When I first got back, I was in the shoot houses over here, but.
[00:28:35] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:36] Speaker E: But then few places around the bush.
[00:28:39] Speaker B: Yeah.
And, Sam, tell me, did you start talking about.
How did you come to the realization that you wanted to do something to help Greg or did. Was that your.
[00:28:51] Speaker E: I ended up in hospital.
[00:28:52] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:28:53] Speaker E: Because I had a heart attack screaming and carrying on. Copper.
[00:28:57] Speaker B: Right.
[00:28:58] Speaker E: Which he didn't deserve, but he got it anyway.
And I had a heart attack up on the footpath just up there.
[00:29:06] Speaker D: That's very noble of you to put it like that.
[00:29:08] Speaker A: But anyway, go Right.
[00:29:09] Speaker E: That's how it was.
[00:29:11] Speaker D: Yeah. Okay.
But you, you know, you're kind of vulnerable to being warm.
[00:29:17] Speaker E: Don't kept bugging me over one thing. Don't come. Keep coming back. You know, he kept coming back.
And I go away.
You said it once. I don't want to hear it again.
[00:29:30] Speaker D: So we had a, you know, so.
[00:29:33] Speaker B: You had an incident.
[00:29:34] Speaker D: Incident, and it ended in a triple bypass. Okay.
[00:29:37] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:29:39] Speaker D: So at that stage, I think you were in a tent or something. Over.
[00:29:43] Speaker E: Yeah, I was somewhere in the bush over there. I wasn't allowed out of hospital.
[00:29:47] Speaker D: It was actually good. He was not allowed out for a while.
[00:29:50] Speaker E: They wouldn't let me out.
[00:29:52] Speaker D: Greg's got a. You know, he's got a lot of fans out. In the time that he was in hospital, I realized how many people actually really loved Greg in the community.
And I thought, well, that's the opportunity. You know, everybody said, how can we give some money? People wanted to give money. They just wanted to give money. And what do you spend this on? We had a little sign up for scout and I thought, well, let's up the ante and do a. What's it called, a fundraiser. Go fund me. And we got enough money through the community for the van.
[00:30:24] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:30:25] Speaker D: So can we just say that the fabulous Rob Jory, who used to be the cop here, now runs the big dog rescue out behind Cobargo. And he took Scout free of charge and looked after all those weeks he.
[00:30:39] Speaker E: Put on Fire Lane because Scout is.
[00:30:41] Speaker D: Really part of it. They're the team.
[00:30:44] Speaker E: Well, Sam asked me, says, what do I want? What do I need? I said, mate, they won't let me out unless I've got somewhere to go until I've got somewhere to go to.
Somewhere that's reasonably clean.
[00:31:01] Speaker D: Yeah. A roof over your head.
[00:31:03] Speaker E: A roof over my head.
[00:31:05] Speaker B: So a VAM is appropriate in that case. Case for them. So you've got a van.
[00:31:09] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:31:09] Speaker B: So Sam and the community.
[00:31:11] Speaker E: Yeah. Raised enough money to get you a van.
[00:31:14] Speaker B: Fantastic.
[00:31:14] Speaker E: I was like, wherever.
[00:31:16] Speaker D: Took about 10 seconds. Everyone, really.
Yeah, we'll do it, we'll do it, we'll do it. So that's little Bernie for you. Very good. Our mate Lois found the van and I came back from camping one night. He said, get.
Get into town now.
[00:31:32] Speaker A: Get that van.
[00:31:33] Speaker B: Get that van.
And where was the van?
[00:31:36] Speaker D: It was just on the other side of town. There was a lovely story there where I was second in line to be interviewed about the van, and the guy in front really loved the van and basically was going to take it. It was all organized. And then he said, what was that?
To the owner, said, what.
What was that all about with the girl waiting in the wings and blah, blah, blah. The owner told him, and he said, forget it, buddy. Give him the van. You have the. Let him have the van. That is absolute. And it was just like, oh, my God, this is so great. They're out there. This kind of person. They are really out there.
[00:32:11] Speaker B: They are.
You are.
[00:32:14] Speaker D: You got the van.
[00:32:15] Speaker B: So you got the van.
[00:32:16] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:32:16] Speaker B: Do you love the van?
[00:32:18] Speaker E: It's a good van.
[00:32:19] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:32:19] Speaker E: It's like.
[00:32:20] Speaker D: Can I just say, I loved it. Well, the first time when we came back with the van, Greg drove into town and said, well, not everybody in Bermagui can say they own their own home.
[00:32:33] Speaker B: How long have you had the van now?
[00:32:37] Speaker E: Six months. Yeah.
[00:32:38] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:32:39] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:32:39] Speaker D: All right.
[00:32:40] Speaker B: And you?
[00:32:41] Speaker E: I'm a rego.
[00:32:42] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:32:43] Speaker E: Broke me, absolutely.
[00:32:45] Speaker B: I bet. I bet it's like, it's expensive because you've got to have the.
[00:32:49] Speaker E: You've got to have it.
[00:32:50] Speaker B: Insurance and all that as well.
[00:32:53] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:32:53] Speaker B: So it's always around like a thousand bucks, isn't it?
[00:32:55] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:32:55] Speaker E: I'm not sure it was.
[00:32:57] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah. But then somebody stepped into Lois IR again, stepped in, who found the van. She's just getting it serviced for and flipping that bill. So it's just those little bills that come along, you know, so you can go and get it serviced and.
[00:33:12] Speaker E: Yeah, keep.
[00:33:15] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:33:16] Speaker B: So it's sounds to me very much.
[00:33:19] Speaker E: Like community's looking after you. Oh, special person you must be. Well, it's like I grew up here.
[00:33:27] Speaker D: Yeah, but you're nice.
You're mostly nice.
[00:33:32] Speaker E: I chased some kids up the street with a big stick the other day, but they deserved it. Now they're going to school.
They're back at school because I said, get back to school.
You want to be a. You want to be cool and live on the street like me in a van for the rest of your life?
Or do you want to have a little bit more smartness about you and get a real job and get a real life?
And they're back. All back at school.
[00:34:01] Speaker B: So you're obviously a big part of the community.
[00:34:03] Speaker E: I look out for the community.
[00:34:05] Speaker D: He actually really does. He's. He's always got an eye out to see if anybody's in trouble.
[00:34:11] Speaker E: Yeah, well, I mean, keep me biting nose out of shit, but yeah.
[00:34:15] Speaker B: Have you thought like help from other services?
[00:34:18] Speaker E: They're there, you know, they're there. But I don't want to.
[00:34:22] Speaker A: Australia. Yeah.
[00:34:22] Speaker E: I don't want to go that way. I don't want to live in a house. I laid in a room for 10 years with spinal cancer looking out the window and that was it. And I got over there, got through that.
[00:34:36] Speaker B: But that was when you were.
[00:34:39] Speaker E: Yeah, I was about 50.
[00:34:40] Speaker B: Wow. Wow.
[00:34:48] Speaker D: I just say the girls up at the okay Shed are fabulous.
[00:34:53] Speaker B: What's the okay Shed? Tell me about the okay.
[00:34:57] Speaker D: Ruthie Gilmour said it a few. Well, probably 15 years ago.
[00:35:01] Speaker E: Where all the good shit goes.
[00:35:02] Speaker D: Yes, it's. It's a fabulous op shop at the back of the church up here. And they are. They're doing it right. That's really great. They are. And if anybody needs. Greg gets a little outfit every couple of weeks from there, no charge, you know, and just everybody's always welcome up there. It's just a place where you can go and just have a cup of tea and everything. But it's just, it's. It's so casual, isn't it? You don't feel like you're some weirdo.
[00:35:28] Speaker E: Not in an erotic.
[00:35:29] Speaker D: Everybody's pitying you and everything. So you come in and get some tax.
[00:35:33] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:35:34] Speaker D: It's exactly what you want.
[00:35:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:35:37] Speaker D: So they're terrific. You do washing sometimes or showering at the cow. The food situations are a bit.
[00:35:45] Speaker B: Well, yeah. So tell. Do you have a fridge in your van?
[00:35:48] Speaker E: No.
[00:35:48] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:35:49] Speaker E: I just go in next door to the Bakers.
[00:35:52] Speaker D: Well, we have heard, actually through Vanessa.
Fabulous Vanessa up at the. Okay. Shed too, that there might be a chance.
Wonderful. Kelly Eastwood. Eastwood. She's got some programs going and there might be a way of getting a meal or two from her through the week or something. So that's something that we can look into.
[00:36:10] Speaker E: Well, I can cook. I can go down the barbecues, you.
[00:36:13] Speaker D: Know, and you can. Corn barbecues.
[00:36:16] Speaker E: Then here, just press the button. They go.
[00:36:18] Speaker D: Oh, good.
[00:36:19] Speaker E: I lived on cans of tuna do Subaru way. Which Full.
[00:36:27] Speaker D: Full of.
[00:36:28] Speaker E: Full of empty cans.
[00:36:30] Speaker B: Yeah.
So. But it must make you feel really good knowing that the community are looking out for you.
[00:36:35] Speaker E: It does, yeah. Yeah, it does. It's a. Like nobody really knew. Oh, my. There's a few people. How many people? A dozen, maybe.
[00:36:44] Speaker A: Who.
[00:36:44] Speaker D: What?
[00:36:45] Speaker E: Knew me before.
[00:36:46] Speaker D: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I bet everyone knew you went to.
I've heard about trips on the school bus when you're about 14 and things like that. I think you're a bit of a cheeky. Bus.
[00:36:58] Speaker E: Come on.
How do you.
[00:37:01] Speaker B: How do you make money at the moment?
[00:37:02] Speaker E: Are you on pension or employed? Pension, yeah.
[00:37:06] Speaker B: Oh, okay.
Is that since your heart attack?
[00:37:09] Speaker E: My back.
[00:37:10] Speaker B: Okay.
Have you run into other people who are living like you are in their cars and vans and things around the place?
[00:37:19] Speaker E: There's a few. I mean, like, there's. You got tourists, but.
[00:37:23] Speaker B: Or the travelers.
[00:37:24] Speaker E: Travelers, yeah.
They're looking for something.
We're all looking for something, but we don't know what it is.
[00:37:31] Speaker A: That's all it is.
[00:37:34] Speaker E: We're all looking for something.
As I say to the kids, think about what you're doing when you're. When you're making. When you meet someone, oh, let's go and rob a bank.
You think, hang on, that's not a good idea because I'm going to go to jail for that.
So you don't go to rob a bank. You go and sweep some old lady's footpath. Way better than going to jail.
[00:38:00] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:01] Speaker E: That's all you've got to think about is think about what's the consequences of doing the right or wrong thing.
[00:38:15] Speaker B: So you've helped Greg get his van.
[00:38:18] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:38:19] Speaker B: And he's obviously very happy with it. And it keeps him drier and warmer. And the dog obviously loves it as well.
And you've become very good friends. You're doing some other things for him as well. Aren't you? Did you help him get a phone or something?
[00:38:36] Speaker D: There's a bit of admin horror that happens with homeless people. For example, Greg got into trouble. I'm sure he won't mind me saying this, but into trouble with the toll when he went to visit the family, because all the addresses were coming, all the bills were coming to the wrong place and then everything escalates, blah, blah, blah, like that. And we've got onto some nice people at Revenue who are actually really nice, helpful. And I just explained the situation and they're like, all right, well, you know, he can do this, he can do that.
[00:39:12] Speaker B: So just what would you say to people who were perhaps teetering about, you know, actually putting their hands up to help someone?
[00:39:20] Speaker D: Well, I guess it would be, you know, don't be afraid to ask, but don't come in all sentimental. I think that's the thing. I don't think you want to be pitied and patronised, but there's nothing wrong with saying, I'm getting a sandwich, do you want one?
[00:39:35] Speaker B: And with the Burmy community, must make you feel really great. Oh, glad, actually watching the response of people wanting to help.
So you feel like you're in a really great community.
[00:39:46] Speaker D: Oh, totally, yeah. Yeah, it's just lovely. Don't be suspicious. Don't be so suspicious. And on the back foot about other, you know, about people who are just kind of trying to get through the day. Really picked a winner with Greg because he's, you know, he's just. He's lots of fun and as he, like, he has a really great philosophy on life and, you know, the way he's scared, the kids want to end up like me. Go, carry on.
[00:40:16] Speaker B: Thank you to Sam and Greg for meeting up with me in Bermagui and giving me their time.
Thanks also to Mission Australia and Sean for talking to me earlier on as well.
That's it for unhoused. Episode 3. Episode 4 will be out in the coming weeks and we hope to have you along then.
This podcast has been produced by the Bega Valley Shire Library Service in collaboration with Sapphire Stories, a local storytelling platform.
It has been made possible with funds achieved through the New South Wales Premier's Department's Social Cohesion Grant for Local Government, as obtained by the Bega Valley Shire Council.
