Just got caught in the rain with my lappy in my bag, so I caught a taxi home. I asked the cabbie if there was much work. He said he was earning $40 a day with a wife and kids. I asked him if he was a citizen or a migrant, and it turns out he's here on a student visa. I said "so does that mean you're getting no support through this?" He said no. I asked him how he's paying rent and he said he's couch-surfing. I said "and you can't go home"..."no...it's really getting to me, I'm very depressed." He didn't know what he was going to do.
I told him I'd been reading a lot about the deregulation of the global workforce and how it's migrant workers who are paying the highest price. I said that they already get exploited and take jobs many Australians would refuse to do. Important jobs that we rely on like cabs and cleaning. I said "we really need you guys, you provide important services and we should be looking after you."
I know I shouldn't have done it, but I'd just been paid and I thought of all the food I had in the fridge, and the alcohol I had on my lap, and the books I'd just picked up. I thought about the fact that I did nothing to earn it and still have a stimulus on the way. I gave him $50...more than a full days pay for him at the moment, and refused to take any change.
I asked him if he knew about the support services and charity organisations around the place. He had no idea where to start. So I took his number, and gave a few charity places a call to make sure they service non-residents, then sent him all the numbers including Colony 47 for housing.
I told him what I was getting from the government and that I don't even work to get it. I said "it's not right."
If you want to do some good, catch a cab and tip big.
No comments:
Post a Comment