AFLW player Erin Phillips is no stranger to silverware, but she wears gold for a very different purpose than her famous on-field exploits.
Key Point:
- AFLW Champion Erin Phillips was one of seven notable South Australians.
- The color gold, which is usually used to symbolize wealth, was ironically chosen.
- Organizers say majority of people currently seeking support are ‘unfamiliar with homelessness’
The former Crow turned Port Adelaide player was one of seven prominent South Australians who gathered in the heart of Adelaide’s main shopping district to draw attention to the homelessness epidemic.
Surrounded by rundle mall fashion stores, avid shoppers, ad hoarders and retailers, the group includes Adelaide Fringe director Heather Kroll, Kaurna Elder Uncle Mickey O’Brien and former A-League striker Bruce It contained daite. fundraiser.
“A lot is being done, but clearly not enough,” said Zite, who is also chief executive of the state’s property council.
“It’s a crisis that’s getting worse. It’s due to a shortage of affordable property and a general lack of supply and choice.”
Zite said it was “the responsibility of people like us” to support public initiatives aimed at helping create solutions.
“Homelessness is still a real stigma. People try to hide it. rice field.
“[It’s] I wear business attire because it can happen to anyone. ”
Hosted by homeless assistance service Lutheran Care and described by founder Andrew Baines as a “living art installation,” the event was accompanied by audio recordings of people experiencing disadvantage and hardship. rice field.
“We tried to get the big picture of different things that could happen so that people could look at it and say, ‘S***, that could be me,'” said the veteran public. said the artist.
“Erin Phillips [is] Mothers running away with babies, we have [government MP] Nat Cook apparently has nowhere to go and an eviction notice — she’s been kicked out. ”
Many people seeking help are ‘unfamiliar with homelessness’
Baines came close to being homeless when he racked up a large amount of debt around the time of the 2008 global financial crisis, but it’s ironic that the color gold, usually a symbol of wealth, was chosen.
“I’m a surrealist, so I do everything out of context. So I thought, ‘Let’s put all the statues here and instead of silver and bronze we’ll make gold,'” he thought. I was.
“Why have gold homeless? That’s all [about] It makes people think from front to back. ”
Susan Richards, executive manager of Lutheran Care, said the event was so eye-catching it was impossible to ignore.
“I hope it really ignites a true community approach to solving this problem,” she said.
“We are currently discovering that 85% of the people who join our service are actually new to homelessness. We have never had to use such a service before.
“It’s an increase in inflation. It’s an imbalance between wages at the moment, and we all know the housing market is limited. So it’s a combination of everything.”
Welfare Minister Nat Cook said it was important for the government to continue to “ensure an increase in the supply of affordable housing”.
“There are thousands of people in South Australia who live without a safe home,” she said.
“Thousands of people reach out to professional homeless service providers each month.”