By CASEY NEILL
Suburb gripped in ‘web of disadvantage’…
DOVETON is among the state’s seven most disadvantaged postcodes and in danger of ‘dropping off the edge’, a new report says.
Jesuit Social Services and Catholic Social Services Australia on Tuesday 21 July released Dropping off the Edge 2015, which maps disadvantage across the country based on 22 social indicators.
Doveton was in Band 1 – the most disadvantaged – in 2004, Band 2 in 2007 and this year returned to Band 1. Dandenong this year featured in Band 4.
The report said a “web of disadvantage” made it almost impossible for residents to overcome their postcode and that community-led action was crucial to turn the trend around.
Catholic Social Services Australia CEO Marcelle Mogg said the most dominant factors in the most disadvantaged Victorian postcodes included unemployment, criminal convictions, disability, low education, child maltreatment, family violence and psychiatric admissions.
“These communities are not failing – Australia is failing these communities,” she said.
“To provide better opportunities to these communities will take sustained effort and commitment on behalf of government, business, the community sector and the communities themselves.”
Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie Edwards said the disadvantaged communities didn’t have access to opportunities allowing them to flourish, like education, employment and safe and affordable housing.
“This report may be stark and confronting, but poses a challenge that we as a nation can rise to,” she said.
The report called for a multi-layered, co-operative and co-ordinated strategy owned and driven by the community.
“It must involve all layers of government and the business and community sectors, reflecting shared responsibility and joint commitment to resolve this entrenched problem,” the report said.
“Community leaders must be engaged to drive sustained change.
“Without such action, there is a significant risk that some of the country’s most severely disadvantaged communities will continue to ‘drop off the edge’.”
