Camping ban on public land

Moreton Bay City Council has today voted to change Local Law Guidelines and ban camping on public land.

It follows growing concerns over safety and public health by residents and for Council staff tackling the growing issue of homeless camping.

Council CEO Scott waters said the Persons Experiencing Homeless Camping Framework will be repealed from Wednesday, March 12.

This will bring the City’s Camping on Public Land regulations into line with other South-East Queensland Councils.

“City of Moreton Bay’s local laws reflect community needs and Council has overwhelming community support for ensuring our local laws are abided by,” Mr Waters said.

The PEH (Persons Experiencing Homelessness) Framework gave council discretion to ‘manage’ camping on public land by people experiencing homelessness.

Mr Waters said it allowed people experiencing homelessness to camp on public land for indefinite periods - if they complied with various responsibilities.

These included not impeding reasonable access by the public and Council officers, working towards a housing outcome, no illegal behaviour and keeping the area clean, safe and tidy.

However, with issues growing over homeless camping in public parks, this is now seen to be impacting Council’s ability to regulate Local Laws.

There have been reports of drug use, dangerous weapons and aggression from those camping in public parks, as well as littering, public toileting, vermin and used syringes.

Some people experiencing homelessness are reported to be choosing to camp in public spaces over accepting crisis accommodation and “other reasonable offers of assistance”.

Mayor Peter Flannery said Council was “trying to be compassionate” when the Framework was introduced. “We were trying to do the right thing,” he added.

“Over a period of time we saw that opportunity, for people who were rough sleeping, was being abused and exploited by people looking for free camping.

“Our responsibility is to our rate payers. We’ve seen the impact these people, who are illegally camping and sleeping rough, are having on our community.”

Action has been taken at parks such as Gayundah, at Woody Point, which has been cleared and fenced while it is restored.

“We have heard some people have shopping lists when accommodation is offered to them, locations, air conditions, number of bedrooms,” the Mayor said.

“(This) change will give clarity over what the community has asked us to do.

“I know it will impact some people out there and I am calling on the State Government, Department of Housing, Department of Health and Police to perform their role.”

Deputy Mayor Jodie Shipway said: “It’s sad and shocking people feel compelled to live like this, rough sleeping … which often comes with drug and alcohol issues and mental health issues.

“Their health and safety is as much at play here as is the health and safety of our community and our Council staff. All of that is being compromised if we do nothing today.

“There are some unintended compromises of our PEH framework, everything we do is with the best intention.

“However the guidelines around the PEH framework undermine our community safety its diminished community confidence in our ability as a council and diminished community confidence in our ability to enforce our local laws.

“It’s divided our community and it’s not acceptable for us to sit here and witness this without action. Council is not funded and resourced to supply housing. It is the responsibly of the State.”

Cr Karl Winchester (Div 6) said he had heard from “schools, community groups, outdoor fitness groups, residents wanting to exercise in public parks and not being able to do so”.

“In some circumstances the framework may actually be making situations worse and making it harder for each respective agency to do their job appropriately," he said.

Cr Adam Hain (Div 3) said the intentions were good in the original framework, “but we became a soft touch”.

“I’ve got playgrounds that have been shut for nine months because someone decided to make that their house.

“I’ve got horror stories about residents putting up with terrible, terrible situations over their back fence. It’s ruining their lives. They’ve bought a house and they have rights.

"The behaviour of some of these people are completely illegal … doing drug deals in front of mums at netball … that just can’t happen.”