By Karen Poh
BY the year 2016, Brimbank will have about 33,000 more people than it has now, according to the 2001-31 City of Brimbank Population and Household Forecasts.
Figures obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2006 census show the total population of the municipality at 167,970, 64 per cent of which are adults aged between 18-64, 19 per cent children aged 5-17 and 10 per cent elderly aged 65-84.
And as Brimbank continues to grow, representatives from the community told Star what they thought were the key local issues and priorities for 2008.
For Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service youth and community program manager Chris Sodeiru, a key priority is the promotion of positive images of young people.
“This is about acknowledging all the great things young people are involved with that enhances their community,” she said.
Local teacher John Vithoulkas agrees.
“The young people of Brimbank are faced by many negative role models,” he said.
“Negativity can be found in all forms of media, music, television, internet, as well as more local groups like crime gangs.
“At a local level, I would love to see a scheme where positive role models donate some time to local schools.
“These would be successful people – local businesspeople, professionals and the like. The scheme could be a once-a-fortnight visit to the school where each role model works with a group of kids.
“It could simply be helping them with homework, but this role model would be in the life of the young person,” Mr Vithoulkas said.
“At a higher level, the Government has enough funds to do many things.”
And a government-funded sport voucher scheme could be another way of getting young people to interact with each other in a positive environment, he said.
Both Mr Vithoulkas and Ms Sodeiru agree that access to affordable education is another key priority.
“I think the Government must deal with the growing cost of education,” Mr Vithoulkas said.
“Many young people whose families cannot afford school necessities, such as textbooks, disengage from the education and society.”
This made then more susceptible to negatives influences, he said.
Part of Good Shepherd’s plan, Ms Sodeiru said, was to work with schools to improve access to education without the barriers often associated with high costs.
UnitingCare Sunshine Mission director Celia Martin, said families from Brimbank and the surrounding suburbs had been presenting for back to school costs assistance.
School uniforms alone, she said, would cost a 12-year-old $283, or $567 if he or she were a Year 7 student attending a Catholic secondary college. Textbooks would cost a Year 11 student $394, not including stationery.
Other major issues raised include housing and costs of living.
Many people who have sought financial assistance from Sunshine Mission are good money managers, Ms Martin said.
It cames down to a “lack of adequate income and the consequent inability to pay bills and have a basic standard of living”, she said.
Charges for gas, electricity and water are due to rise again in 2008, and there’s often little left for food after people pay for rent and utilities.
“The number of people presenting for food has increased by more than 75 per cent in 12 months, and we have also seen a significant increase in the number of old people presenting,” Ms Martin said.
Belinda Tribe from the Salvation Army Social Housing and Support Network (SASHS) said appropriate and affordable housing in Brimbank was not only difficult to obtain but also difficult to sustain.
“Over the last financial year SASHS has seen a 40 per cent increase in assistance provided to people seeking crisis accommodation,” she said.
“In the past, it has been a realistic option for people to access the private or public sector. Unfortunately, these options are now more limited due to increasing rent in private sector and the lack of available accommodation in both the private and public sector.
“The demand has obviously increased and the supply is just not there.
“SASHS, with local support services, are working together to try and improve the overall housing services provided to Brimbank residents. But there is only so much services can do without the appropriate funding or access to appropriate long-term accommodation,” Ms Tribe said.
“In order for the housing needs to be met in Brimbank, as in most other areas, the Government and the private sector will need to work both individually and collaboratively to provide affordable and sustainable housing.”
