The controversial series Struggle Street, the second season of which is currently being filmed in suburbs around Melbourne, is being condemned by the Victorian State Government as exploitative and is also being labelled by critics as ‘poverty porn’.
The next instalment of the SBS series is being filmed in Sunshine and Broadmeadows. Housing and Creative Industries Minister Martin Foley is worried that the show glorifies poverty and disadvantage.
Mr Foley will raise his concerns with Film Victoria, calling on the organisation providing funding for the series to ensure that there’s ‘adequate support’ for the show’s subjects.
Hume City Council, which is the local government for Broadmeadows, has rejected an application for producers to film in the area. But, although the series may not have permission to film in public places, the council cannot prevent Broadmeadows residents from inviting film crews into their homes.
So long as they only use a single camera, there are possible exceptions for documentary filmmakers, under which Struggle Street may qualify. According to The Age, the show’s producers don’t think they need permission to film in public places, such as parks, anyway.
When the first series was filmed in the Blacktown area in Sydney, television crews simply arrived and started filming without prior consent or consultation with the community.
According to an SBS spokeswoman: “Struggle Street is about exploring issues of hardship that people and communities can find themselves in for a whole range of reasons … through personal stories, challenges such as industry downturn and transition, unemployment and other issues of social and economic hardship, which reflect the challenges of Australians across the country.
“The areas that we will film in are areas where challenges reflect universal socio-economic issues and where we can get first-hand stories that help Australians to engage with the broader issues.”
The SBS may access its own current affairs programs, such as Insight and Dateline, to further explore any issues raised during the filming of Struggle Street.
Do you watch Struggle Street? What do you think of Struggle Street? Is it ‘poverty porn’? Do you feel that it’s exploitative? Would you be okay with the show’s producers filming in your neighbourhood or street? What would you do if your neighbour invited Struggle Street crew members in their house?
Read more The Age
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