''Struggle Street'' is an Australian
documentary series that first aired on
SBS One on 6 May 2015. The second series began airing on 28 November 2017. The third series began airing on 9 October 2019.
Premise
The series sheds light on the struggles and aspirations of residents in
public housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, def ...
areas around
Western Sydney; areas which have been commonly associated with high unemployment, drug use and problems with the law.
KEO Films, the production company behind the project stated on their website:
In this proposed 3-part observational documentary series, to be filmed over a 6-month period, we'll feature the voices and stories of people living on the outskirts of Sydney, in some of our most socially-disadvantaged communities.
We'll highlight the enormous challenges they face being born into generational disadvantage, and then being blamed by the system for their lack of progress.
...And rather than being an exercise in voyeurism, or a fleeting judgmental report, this extended insight into the lives of our subjects will - we hope - provoke not just a change in public perception, but a debate about the direction of public policy as well
Series overview
Reception
The series received strong criticism from local governments, with the
Mayor of Blacktown,
Stephen Bali
Stephen Louis Bali is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly since 14 October 2017, representing the seat of Blacktown since a by-election held to replace former Labor leader John Robertso ...
labelling it as '
poverty porn'. Locals attempted to boycott the series by establishing a blockade of garbage trucks outside the SBS headquarters in
Artarmon
Artarmon is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Willoughby.
History
...
. The series aired as planned, winning its timeslot nationally and was the most watched program on television that night in Sydney, with the controversy claimed for the record ratings.
Western Sydney locals are contemplating legal action against the producers to seek damages for defamation.
SBS chief content officer Helen Kellie defended the program, stating that "We are confident that ''Struggle Street'' is a fair and accurate portrayal of events that occurred during filming...further, we believe the series fairly reflects the program description contained in participant release forms".
Several television critics and journalists viewed the show in a positive light, arguing that the outrage and controversy over the program was grossly overstated, and praised the show for bringing light to stories that otherwise wouldn't be told in the public domain.
Second Season
A second season of the show was filmed in
Queensland
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, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
and
Victoria, and aired on 28 November 2017.
Ratings
Season One (2015)
Season Two (2017)
References
{{reflist
External links
SBS Struggle Street
Special Broadcasting Service original programming
2010s Australian reality television series
Australian television docudramas
Television shows set in Sydney
Television controversies in Australia
2015 Australian television series debuts