The homeless are moving to a park opposite Housing Minister Sam O’Connor’s office

A homeless woman is leading a relocation of rough sleepers from a popular public park in Southport to a new base out in the open.

A homeless woman is camping outside Housing Minister Sam O’Connor’s electorate office with rough sleepers expected to join her in an exodus from Southport’s controversial tent city.

Residents have taken photographs of the woman’s belongings in Norm Rix Park at Labrador to highlight how state government and council must address the housing crisis.

A meeting is planned with the Bonney MP and council but homeless supporters are shocked by what they feel is a lack of urgency.

“The silence is deafening to me,” a resident said, asking for long-term solutions.

“This woman would be in her 30s. She has a trolley and a sleeping bag. She has been sleeping in the park for a few days.”

A homeless woman has moved to Norm Rix Park opposite the electorate office of Housing Minister Sam O'Connor. His signage can be seen at top left.

Meanwhile, supporters of campers in a tent city at Southport’s Carey Park said some were prepared to walk to Labrador Park.

“People have packed up. They are moving their stuff to other parks. There is nowhere else to go,” a supporter said.

“Some (say) they are going to Norm Rix Park. They are doing it for a reason.”

Ember Lenarduzzi, another helper, said: “Council intimidation has worked.

The Carey Park tent city at Southport is being packed up. The homeless are deciding where to go next.

“They came with the (Queensland Police Service) to take away the entire tap (near the camp site) due to a water leak and essentially told them they better be out by tomorrow. A number of unhoused folk will unfortunately be packing up and we will be sending people to help.”

A homeless man who believes his leg was infected due to conditions was the second person in the 30-tent city to require hospital treatment in recent weeks.

“They never once offered us any services or help. We were rolling around the mud like pigs,” he said.

“The stress was on people. We couldn’t keep up our hygiene standards. My leg got infected. I went into surgery and they said the worst scenario was they would cut it off.

“It just broke me. There were local people who helped me - from the church. My leg is leaking with puss. I’m not in a mental place to be bothered to go to hospitals.”

Homeless advocates Tamika Hicks and Jenna Schroeder held a protest about the evictions outside council chambers in Evandale on Tuesday.

Supporters of the homeless at Carey Park stage a protest outside the Gold Coast City Council chambers about the City's tough compliance policy. Jenna Schroeder is pictured far right.

Ms Schroeder was invited inside where she met Southport-based councillor Brooke Patterson, who said council support staff remained employed as part of a new policy stressing enforcement over offering support. Ms Schroeder said it was critical campers were not “hidden” so they could access support.

Mr O’Connor said: “This is the heartbreaking reality of the housing crisis we inherited and are working hard to fix. My staff and I have personally engaged with people sleeping rough to do all we can to get them on a pathway to safe, secure housing.

“When support is offered, I urge people to please take it up. Whether it’s an initial step of hotel or motel accommodation or broader support from our state-funded specialist services, the data shows our engagements are leading to housing outcomes making a real difference.”

Ms Hicks said the council’s Homelessness Action Plan failed to outline meaningful commitments for emergency shelters or long-term housing solutions.

“Public parks are not housing – but until there are safe places for people, we cannot support policies that displace people and worsen their trauma,” Ms Hicks said.

The City has moved harder on compliance after residents complained about Carey Park.

The City’s updated report on housing supply and affordability reveals the Coast has 50 per cent fewer social housing dwellings per capita compared to Brisbane, requiring at least 5000 additional social housing units to meet demand.

The Gold Coast Housing Service Centre has more than 2000 households on its waitlist, the third highest in Queensland, with 40 per cent classified as very high need.

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Originally published as The homeless are moving to a park opposite Housing Minister Sam O’Connor’s office