Struggle Street

In the heart of the ‘lucky country’ some Australian families and individuals are living on the fringes, facing the daily hardships of unemployment, drug addiction and illness; struggling just to get by. New three-part, fly on the wall observational documentary series Struggle Street gives a voice to those doing it tough right on the doorstep of Australia’s most affluent cities. Filmed in the public housing estates of Sydney’s western suburbs, residents invited cameras in for exclusive, uncensored access to their lives over a six month period. The result is an eye-opening glimpse at real life in under-resourced Australian communities - raw, honest and unfiltered. In the first episode, three very different stories of individuals and families struggling to get by. From a large blended family to a single parent household, and a homeless man living rough in the suburban bush - we'll see stories of challenge, hardship and triumph against overwhelming odds.

This three-part, fly on the wall observational documentary series Struggle Street gives a voice to those doing it tough right on the doorstep of Australia's most affluent cities. This episode, Peta and Ashley's family dramas come to a head, when son Corey's drug use leads to an explosive confrontation outside the family home. Nearby, long-time heroin addict Bob is facing his own demons. Not only is he fighting off possible eviction - his pregnant girlfriend has disappeared with all the money he has. But despite all this, the ties that bind this community remain strong, as former teenage troublemaker Chris rallies the neighbourhood to save the job of the local church pastor.

In the final installment of this three-part series, parents Ashley and Peta look to the future, after ice-addict Corey’s dramatic exit from the family home. Peta is turning her attention to community work, and has big plans for the upcoming local Christmas Fair. Twenty-three year old son Tristan is forging a new role as a disability spokesperson, and all eyes are on youngest son Zac to carry the hopes of the family forward. But the good news is tinged with sadness, after Ashley receives a worrying medical diagnosis. For twins Michelle and Cheryl, could a family surprise mean they can put years of conflict behind them? And in bushland adjacent to Mt Druitt, homeless man William is re-assessing his future.