East V West

One City, two totally different lifestyles. I had a SUPER Saturday (hence no post) and Struggle Street has remained with me, one Stephen Bali should stop getting garbage trucks involved in protests and do his job better, two Mt Druitt really needs help, it's a hell hole and three how is the East and West in Sydney so different.

Last night I ate at a restaurant in East Sydney and looked around, their was your drunk English backpackers/ex pats, young student group celebrating a birthday and another birthday group where all attendees (besides the one DUFF) looked like models out of a Country Road catalogue. After watching Struggle Street (and I know not everyone from Mt Druitt is under the microscope in this show) but what I saw was a largely white, overweight and uneducated group of individuals.

Education seemed the main thing lacking whilst watching Struggle Street, and instead of condoning a program that has given Mt Druitt the stage now, to improve, to accept help. Stephen Bali really needs to stand down if he was worried the wider population would see what is happening on our own doorstop he should have looked after his community better. It is embarrassing a community has been let down for so long.

I spoke to my Grandfather who said Mt Druitt has been like this for 50 years and would never change. I agree this is nothing new, I remember going there as a kid and thinking fucking hell I know the Central Coast is bad in pockets but this place is horrific.

I do unlike my Grandfather think Mt Druitt can change, with education and programs around getting the population of the area fit and active instead of sitting around smoking bongs or stirring trouble. To the lady working with the youth at the drop in with the gym and computers, you are a miracle worker. More of you are required to turn peoples luck around. Seeing a father struggle to feed his ten (mostly out of work) children and their children is heartbreaking.

That stayed with me whilst I had my tapas and watched the Country Road gang sip their cocktails and wine and probably not even be aware of the struggles happening just outside the City border. And that's what is happening, the City, Eastern Suburbs, trendy Inner West and Upper and North Shore have almost forgotten about Sydney's dirty little secret the West. The Western Suburbs are your biggest issue Mike Baird if you want to haveMiranda Devine and Co's approval you will need to fix it, cause if anything the gap is getting wider, the West are falling further behind whilst the rest of Sydney's housing prices and elite continue to surge.

I am looking forward to the 2 part finale of Struggle Street and say a big sucked in to the Media and the Mayor for trying to forbid the almost 1 million Australians who now are aware of the large issue that is Mt Druitt. My heart went out to many of the folks in the show and I wish I could do something to help at least one person from the show have a better life. If more people living under Clover Moore's lead felt this way maybe, just maybe a change for the better could happen out West.