A HOME is a luxury many can be accused of taking for granted, however, for the 2000 people in Mackay, who, have been identified as homeless it would be a dream come true.
Data collected in the last census shows the Mackay region’s homeless population was almost five times the national average and with new data to be recorded this month, many believe the situation won’t have changed and may, in fact, have worsened.
Homelessness Australia policy and research officer Travis Gilbert said this equated to 235 people per 10,000 without a permanent address, while the Queensland average was 69 per 10,000 and the national average 53 per 10,000.
Salvation Army Mackay call officer Lt Jeff Goodwin isn’t surprised by these figures.
“I know it’s a big problem... there isn’t a lot of accommodation for homeless people in Mackay at all,” Lt Goodwin said.
In Australia, homelessness covers a range of living conditions, including rough sleeping, living in cars or tents, homeless shelters, couch surfing, temporary accommodation with friends or relatives and boarding houses.
“Anyone who doesn’t have a home to call their own,” Mr Gilbert said.
In Mackay, 33% of people who were homeless were rough sleeping. The national average is about 16%.
Mr Gilbert said from the 2001 to 2006 census the rate of homelessness doubled in Mackay. Regional Social Development Centre manager Deborah Rae believes it has increased since then .
“There has been a huge increase in population since 2006 ,” Ms Rae said.
“We’ve also had a significant increase in costs such as housing and rent... which means that people can’t afford to spend as much on accommodation.”
Ms Rae said one of the biggest challenges was identifying the homeless.
Services available include Samaritan House and Lowana House for women, Ozcare Homeless Men’s Shelter, Youth Information Referral Service and Community Accommodation Support Agency.
A possible factor related to the region’s high level of homelessness is the soaring cost of living and a lack of affordable housing.
“Often people found themselves homeless due to circumstances beyond their control,” Lt Goodwin said.
While more temporary accommodation would help, Lt Goodwin said it would only be a band-aid and not a very good one at that.
More affordable housing, particularly in areas like this, where high wages and a lack of accommodation dictate house and rental costs, would be one step , Lt Goodwin said.
Business and community leaders are being challenged to experience being homeless for a night at the Bluewater Quay on August 7.
2011年7月31日 星期日
2011年4月28日 星期四
New bedding exhibitors bring lines to High Point
Sleep experts, bedding veterans and High Point newcomers will be part of the bedding scene here, showing new innerspring and specialty sleep lines.
Norfolk, Va.-based Paramount Sleep is introducing a new line of bedding designed with the help of sleep expert Dr. James Maas and carrying the title of his new book, "Sleep for Success!"
Maas, who is Paramount's product spokesman as part of a new partnership with the bedding producer, will be in Paramount's High Point showroom meeting with retailers to help introduce the new line. He says it will be designed as "the ultimate bed for a better tomorrow."
Paramount is also introducing a new A.H. Beard line of beds that celebrates the heritage of respected Australian bedding producer A.H. Beard. The innerspring line represents a partnership between Paramount and A.H. Beard, headed by bedding veterans Allyn and Garry Beard. Allyn Beard will be in the Paramount showroom in High Point to help launch that line.
Thomasville, N.C.-based Carolina Mattress Guild is celebrating its 20th anniversary, appropriately enough, with a 20th anniversary sleep set. Neal Grigg, president of CMG, said the "high style" quilted innerspring bed, targeting the $799 to $999 retail price points, is designed to spark conversations with its strong value.
"Retailers can run a promotion and generate some excitement with this bed with their customers," he said. "The value is so strong they will be telling their customers all about this bed."
CMG will also be showing its new Flex line of latex beds, which is off to a promising start at retail, Grigg said.
Shifman Mattresses is relaunching its premier line, the Masters Collection, which features natural materials, hand-tufting and eight-way, hand-tied box springs. Retails range from $3,199 to $7,399.
New to the Masters Collection is the Cezanne, designed with 95% natural materials, including pashmina cashmere, cotton and natural latex. It retails at $7,399.
"Just when you thought a Shifman couldn't get any better, our designers found a way," said Bill Hammer, the company's president. "The Masters Collection is our most luxurious collection, and the new Cézanne is the most comfortable mattress ever made. Every detail, including luxurious layers of pashmina cashmere, combines to create this proud example of fine hand-craftsmanship. We anticipate a lot of interest in the product during High Point Market and know our dealers will have a lot of success selling this improved and expanded collection."
InnoMax, showing in the new Specialty Sleep Assn. space in the International Home Furnishings Center, M-413, is adding a latex bed to its InnoPedic Plus line. "Adding the natural resilience of latex to the InnoPedic Plus, with its Energized Isotropic Support Core, has created a mattress that instantly adjusts to provide uniformly contoured comfort and feels like nothing else available in the industry," said Mark Miller, president of InnoMax. The new latex bed retails at $1,999.
Pure LatexBliss, offering latex beds, says that type of bedding is on the ascent. "It's growing," said Kurt Ling, CEO. "The number of manufacturers producing all-latex beds is growing. There is a wholesale availability of the product that wasn't there in the past."
Pure LatexBliss is showing the first bed in its new World's Best Beds Collection, a $4,499 offering with 19 inches of latex. "There is more latex in the foundation of that bed than many other latex beds have in the whole bed," Ling said.
De Courcy & Co. makes its High Point debut with the Hevea Grove collection of natural latex mattresses. "We combine our European roots and latex expertise with American comfort," said Marc de Courcy, CEO. "The result is an attractive, well-tailored product, exuding personality and warm sophistication."
Bob O'Neill, an executive with Leggett & Platt's Consumer Products Group, said the new SilverShell anti-microbial mattress protector the company is showing here is resonating with consumers. The new mattress protector is treated with elemental silver to inhibit more than 99% of germs, according to L&P.
"It is unbelievable how well that product is being received in the market," O'Neill said. "Many people are worried about germs."
New to the market is Vivon, offering the Vivon Prestige, powered by a Brookstone massage unit inside the mattress. The unit has five massage modes with six motors (in queen and king size) that provide a massage for the shoulders, back and legs. Retails range from $949 to $1,299.
Norfolk, Va.-based Paramount Sleep is introducing a new line of bedding designed with the help of sleep expert Dr. James Maas and carrying the title of his new book, "Sleep for Success!"
Maas, who is Paramount's product spokesman as part of a new partnership with the bedding producer, will be in Paramount's High Point showroom meeting with retailers to help introduce the new line. He says it will be designed as "the ultimate bed for a better tomorrow."
Paramount is also introducing a new A.H. Beard line of beds that celebrates the heritage of respected Australian bedding producer A.H. Beard. The innerspring line represents a partnership between Paramount and A.H. Beard, headed by bedding veterans Allyn and Garry Beard. Allyn Beard will be in the Paramount showroom in High Point to help launch that line.
Thomasville, N.C.-based Carolina Mattress Guild is celebrating its 20th anniversary, appropriately enough, with a 20th anniversary sleep set. Neal Grigg, president of CMG, said the "high style" quilted innerspring bed, targeting the $799 to $999 retail price points, is designed to spark conversations with its strong value.
"Retailers can run a promotion and generate some excitement with this bed with their customers," he said. "The value is so strong they will be telling their customers all about this bed."
CMG will also be showing its new Flex line of latex beds, which is off to a promising start at retail, Grigg said.
Shifman Mattresses is relaunching its premier line, the Masters Collection, which features natural materials, hand-tufting and eight-way, hand-tied box springs. Retails range from $3,199 to $7,399.
New to the Masters Collection is the Cezanne, designed with 95% natural materials, including pashmina cashmere, cotton and natural latex. It retails at $7,399.
"Just when you thought a Shifman couldn't get any better, our designers found a way," said Bill Hammer, the company's president. "The Masters Collection is our most luxurious collection, and the new Cézanne is the most comfortable mattress ever made. Every detail, including luxurious layers of pashmina cashmere, combines to create this proud example of fine hand-craftsmanship. We anticipate a lot of interest in the product during High Point Market and know our dealers will have a lot of success selling this improved and expanded collection."
InnoMax, showing in the new Specialty Sleep Assn. space in the International Home Furnishings Center, M-413, is adding a latex bed to its InnoPedic Plus line. "Adding the natural resilience of latex to the InnoPedic Plus, with its Energized Isotropic Support Core, has created a mattress that instantly adjusts to provide uniformly contoured comfort and feels like nothing else available in the industry," said Mark Miller, president of InnoMax. The new latex bed retails at $1,999.
Pure LatexBliss, offering latex beds, says that type of bedding is on the ascent. "It's growing," said Kurt Ling, CEO. "The number of manufacturers producing all-latex beds is growing. There is a wholesale availability of the product that wasn't there in the past."
Pure LatexBliss is showing the first bed in its new World's Best Beds Collection, a $4,499 offering with 19 inches of latex. "There is more latex in the foundation of that bed than many other latex beds have in the whole bed," Ling said.
De Courcy & Co. makes its High Point debut with the Hevea Grove collection of natural latex mattresses. "We combine our European roots and latex expertise with American comfort," said Marc de Courcy, CEO. "The result is an attractive, well-tailored product, exuding personality and warm sophistication."
Bob O'Neill, an executive with Leggett & Platt's Consumer Products Group, said the new SilverShell anti-microbial mattress protector the company is showing here is resonating with consumers. The new mattress protector is treated with elemental silver to inhibit more than 99% of germs, according to L&P.
"It is unbelievable how well that product is being received in the market," O'Neill said. "Many people are worried about germs."
New to the market is Vivon, offering the Vivon Prestige, powered by a Brookstone massage unit inside the mattress. The unit has five massage modes with six motors (in queen and king size) that provide a massage for the shoulders, back and legs. Retails range from $949 to $1,299.
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