Sydney is a beautiful city, but its inequities run deep. The pandemic only shines a light on the deepening socio-economic divide across the city.
In the last few weeks as Sydney deals with an ongoing lockdown, we have seen an elite private school in the Eastern Suburbs receive dispensation to take students on a trip to Kangaroo Valley and accidental vaccinations at a private school in Sydney’s lower north shore. Meanwhile, teachers in Western Sydney prepare resource packs to be sent home to families that struggle with connectivity issues and sharing devices between family members.
We’ve also seen different narratives around responses to the outbreak of Covid in south-west Sydney, compared to those in the Eastern Suburbs or the previous Northern Beaches cluster. As one article has put it, “Rich, white, wealthy and middle-class Sydneysiders are treated with care and compassion. Multicultural and working class Sydney is a problem to be policed.”
Sydney’s ‘latte line’
This divide is nothing new. It’s known as the ‘latte line’, the ‘Goats cheese line’ or the ‘Red Rooster line’. This line represents a huge socioeconomic disparity across Sydney. It’s a concept that sees a divide between things like income, housing affordability, amount of tree canopy, distance to public open space, NAPLAN and HSC results and even life expectancy. According to the economic commissioner of the Greater Sydney Commission, this line generally separates the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’. Depending on which side of the line you live on, life can look very different.
The pandemic only highlights this even more. Above the line, people are generally more likely to have access to white-collar jobs that can be undertaken from home, easy access to great open space like coastal walks and harbour parklands and be predominantly English speaking, which can make understanding health advice easier.
Below the line, people are more likely to have blue-collar jobs which, under current restrictions, many people in South Western Sydney can’t leave their LGA for. There is less accessibility to high quality public open space. Large or multigenerational households in small apartments. Opportunities for adequate outdoor play and exercise are more limited and often just include the same small local playground. You also have single or struggling parents with no option but to rely on family members for babysitting. There are significant cultural and language barriers. Life in lockdown is complicated for the ‘have nots’ and may not be as straightforward as it might be for those above the latte line.
Even just being able to watch Gladys at the 11am press conference, and be able to understand it, is a privilege (though, it can be confusing even for those who predominantly speak English!)
The messaging around the current crackdown in South Western Sydney is also not the same as the messaging a few weeks ago when this all began in other parts of Sydney. This is likely to be for a number of reasons which I won’t go into, but this sadly leads to ‘othering’ and subtle (and not so subtle) opportunities for racism and classism.
What can we do?
From a planning perspective, there are many ways that this socio-economic divide could be addressed. Open space is a great place to start. An equitable distribution of quality, accessible and large public open space is key for planning across Greater Sydney, particularly in areas that are seeing high population growth and housing targets. Currently, open space is dealt with on a site-by-site basis, which is missing the mark. We need government intervention, consideration of open space at the zoning stage and need to ensure that future planning proposals on private and public land achieve positive long term social outcomes (Canterbury Racecourse is an example).
What does this mean for St Pauls?
When you look at the map above, Canterbury is right on the latte line. This presents us with some pretty unique opportunities as a church.
Our church vision, being a church for all people, comes to mind. This should include, amongst other things, the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’.
We have an opportunity in Canterbury to live out what it looks like for all people, regardless of social or economic status, to be part of one body. We can aim to personally get to know and welcome all people, regardless of where they are from. We can get around and support those who might be struggling to make ends meet. We can share life and pray together. And when we engage in conversation around Sydney’s lockdown, we can look on Western Sydney with compassion, not judgement.
Jesus is deeply concerned that all people hear the good news of his kingdom. Our unique geographical location is an opportunity for our church to be a true reflection of God’s diverse kingdom.
Samantha Kruize
Sam is a member of our 5pm congregation. She has a degree in City Planning and has worked as a Planner in the public sector for the last 5 years.