SBS Is Being Accused Of ‘Poverty Porn’ Again In New Australian Welfare Series
'Could You Survive On The Breadline' makes a spectacle of poverty.
Audiences have expressed concern that SBS program Could You Survive On The Breadline perpetuates ‘poverty porn‘, and objectifies the experiences and trauma of poor Australians for entertainment.
Every few years, a new show puts people living in the system on the small screen to be ogled, discussed, and dehumanised. Channel Nine’s 2016 social experiment The Briefcase made low socio-economic families decide how much of a $100,000 prize pool to keep or give away. A year earlier, SBS was slammed for being disrespectful in its portrayal of Western Sydney residents when it aired the controversial show Struggle Street.
Now, five years later, the public broadcaster has come out with Breadline — a three-part series that sends famous Australians into the homes of social security recipients throughout NSW for a taste test of life below the poverty line. Celebrity chef Julie Goodwin, Greens MP Jenny Leong, and Sky News contributor Caleb Bond dabble in an ethnographic study of how $45 a day payments intersect with health, incarceration, domestic violence, assault, addiction, and safety. Yet critics with lived experience are appalled by how the media has once again veered towards exploitation instead of empowerment when handling these difficult topics.
Kristin O’Connell from the Antipoverty Centre told Junkee it was disappointing to see individuals, and not the measly amount of money they are forced to live on, being painted as the problem. She believes the angle of zeroing in on problems, instead of giving a platform for affected people to share solutions, denies them agency and and makes them a spectacle for viewers to pity.
The psychological and emotional harm cannot be replicated for a person who ultimately has security available to them…
From the comments of “weird” smells in social housing blocks, a much-needed crisis accommodation bed being taken up by a TV personality, looks of disgust at the sight of insect infestations, and multiple participants incurring personal costs out of their slim daily budget — it’s easy to see where different, more sensitive approaches could have been taken.
“For most people in these systems that are inflicted on us, we have no sense of when or potentially ever being able to escape them. That toll — the psychological and emotional harm — cannot be replicated for a person who ultimately has security available to them,” said O’Connell.
A major point of hurt and anger in the show was the inclusion of Bond, a NewsCorp conservative columnist, who went in with a set mentality from a place of privilege. In his own words, “to be perfectly honest, I don’t know if I’ll change my mind”.
Throughout the first episode, he exudes moral superiority over the spending choices of people who generously opened up their homes to him, including Pierre from Surry Hills who receives the disability support pension for a chronic stomach disorder. When Pierre chooses to buy a pack of cigarettes, Bond turned up his nose at the idea of taxpayer money being used to do so, and flat-out said that if his host simply gave up the habit he would be in a better financial position.
Notice they show smokers. That’s so everyone can attack them and use the line “give up smoking” I did give up and I still can’t afford to live I’m scared for the participants #CouldYouSurviveOnTheBreadline
— melissa (@ArtistAffame) November 17, 2021
In a viewing event hosted by the centre last Tuesday prior to the season launch, attendees commented after watching the first episode that participants in the show were depicted as “not living in the ‘right’ way” — and that there was a non-exist “ideal” to live up to, that wasn’t being met. Bond’s judgement of perceived “luxuries” further spiralled when he righteously proclaimed that those he sees as ‘abusing the system’ are an “insult” to others who “genuinely” deserve the payments.
“The fixation on what people spend their money on is bad enough, but what made it extraordinary was the decision to openly have people like Caleb Bond commenting on that as if they were entitled to decide how someone else lives their life,” said O’Connell. “They should open up their own bank account transaction history for us to inspect if they want to make observations about other people’s choices.
“When you fixate on our finances or the contents of our fridge, or what we can’t afford, suddenly everyone is invited to have an opinion about how we should be living and the choices that we make about what is best for us. It encourages attitudes that take away our agency, in turn creating the conditions that allow the government to violate our human rights with no consequences,” she said.
Caleb, poor people are allowed nice things too, you fucking monster. You don’t get to tell anyone how they spend their money #CouldYouSurviveOnTheBreadline
— Jez Heywood #BTPM (@jezheywood) November 17, 2021
“Could You Survive on the Breadline? puts people experiencing the challenges of living on welfare front and centre as it explores this important national issue, providing an opportunity for people to share their stories in an honest and raw way not often seen in the mainstream media,” an SBS spokesperson said to Junkee.
“Our aim is for those who watch the series to look beyond stereotypes and preconceived ideas that exist in society, as reflected in the views of the high profile figures who feature in the series, and better understand the diversity of experiences and the complexities of the issues involved. It can be confronting viewing, but SBS doesn’t shy away from tackling challenging topics critical to social cohesion.”
“The people who featured in the series were determined to share their stories, and be a voice for people who share their experiences. SBS, with production company Lune Media, continue to take their well-being extremely seriously. Careful consideration is given to ensure all measures are taken to avoid any undue distress as a result of their involvement in the series, which includes support during the production and beyond the broadcast,” they said.
Episode 2 airs on Wednesday.
Everyone planning to watch #CouldYouSurviveOnTheBreadline is much braver than me. I'm pretty sure watching what is literally my life being played out on screen would set off a panic attack. 😔
— Aeryn 🦉 🏳️🌈 🌻 (@jiangyin) November 17, 2021
— Update: Friday November 26 12pm —
Statement from Caleb Bond:
The point of including someone like me in the programme is to open my eyes to an issue and to open the eyes of viewers who would identify with me. The show gives an honest and raw view of what life is like for many people on welfare and in public housing.
Outside of Twitter, real people in the street have told me that they have so far found the show moving and genuine. That is its purpose — to highlight the realities of welfare to the broader community.
Disagreement is a natural part of life and the show demonstrates that. As much as some people would like to pretend it is so, nothing is a black and white, open and shut case.
The real point here is the experiences of the people who have been shown on the programme and I am proud to have been able to help give them a voice.