Tent sleepers in Tea Tree Gully fear another eviction from public land over holiday period

Rachel Gallacher will spend Christmas in her tent wondering if council will evict her – having already been forcibly moved without notice three times in the last four months.

Rachel Gallacher will spend the Christmas period in her tent wondering if the council will come along to evict her – having already been moved without notice three times in the last four months.

“But where I am supposed to go,” the 50 year-old said.

She is one of Tea Tree Gully Council’s homeless tent population who have been forcibly moved from their camping spots at least three times in the last six months.

Rachel was initially moved to a space near the local Salvation Army building before the council ordered her to move.

She eventually moved to council land at Bunnings Modbury, living with half-a-dozen others for around six weeks.

Rachel Gallacher has been forcibly moved from public land three times in the last four months by the Tea Tree Gully Council. Picture: Kelly Barnes

She said that all changed when “the council turned up one day without any notice” with police in tow and told them they had to move immediately because there had been complaints by nearby residents.

“The council workers were very aggressive [when they turned up at the Bunnings area encampment],” she said.

“This is all my stuff. This is my home.”

Rachel, friendly and in good humour despite her challenges, explained she can’t get a rental or a share room and has been on the SA Housing Trust list since 2005.

One camp resident with chronic schizophrenia refused to leave and was eventually arrested by police before being taken away in handcuffs.

Rachel and others then moved to another location on council land near Ridgehaven’s Waterworld Aquatic Centre, only to have council again evict them on the spot four weeks later following complaints from a nearby business owner that the camp was having a negative impact on their business.

Some of the campers were then given temporary stays of up to 11 days in a caravan park funded by the state government, which at the end they would have to move out with nowhere to go because they could not afford to remain there at more than $90 per night.

Rachel said she wasn’t offered temporary accommodation so opted to move to a new location on council land partially hidden behind some scrub near her friend, who comes and goes from the hospital after radiation therapy he is receiving for brain cancer.

A spokesperson from Nat Cook’s office said the government rejected claims they did not care for people experiencing homelessness. Picture: Matt Loxton

She is worried that at any time the council will come again and tell her she has to move.

Sonia Blackwell, who has been volunteering on a full-time basis to assist the area’s rough sleepers for six months describes the situation as “absolutely disgusting.”

“I have said to the council why can’t we just put aside some parkland with a BBQ, and let people camp there – they said it was up to the state government and so I had a meeting with Minister for Human Services Nat Cook, and she said told me point blank they would not be doing it”.

“It’s outrageous – there is nowhere for them to live.

“Those people in the caravan park are funded to stay there until December 26 – and then they have nowhere to go.

“Then they will try to camp somewhere and they will be told if they stay there, they will end up getting arrested.”

Ms Gallacher explained she can’t get a rental or a share room and has been on the SA Housing Trust list since 2005. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Ms Blackwell said the state government simply “did not care” about homeless people and had “no idea how awful the situation is”.

The government’s accountability problem she made was worse because the state opposition was “falling apart” and “there were no votes in helping the homeless.”

“Buy a caravan park, buy a hotel, and if you can’t do that – just let them use a large parcel of public parkland, set-up some amenities, set-up a BBQ and turn it into a community.”

In a statement a Tea Tree Gully Council spokeswoman told the Advertiser “The Councils approach has not been to ‘relocate’ but to move people from the areas where they are causing anti-social behaviour with assistance from SAPOL”.

“Council recognises that anti-social behaviour of any form needs to be managed to reduce its impact on the broader community.”

“If you want to erect a tent on public land you need to ask for permission from council.”

A spokesperson from Nat Cook’s office said the government respected Ms Blackwell’s advocacy but “rejects her assertion about a lack of care for people experiencing homelessness”.

“A group of seven recently camped between a swimming centre and funeral home in the Modbury area and, following concerns being raised by the community, significant additional resources were provided to connect them with services and support,” the spokesperson said.

“Three people from the group were supported to stay in different caravan parks from December 5 with the local homelessness service contributing to their site fees and making daily contact to offer assistance.

“Last Friday, they were advised of the need to find an alternative location and pay their own site fees after December 26.

Contact information was provided for several alternatives with daily rates ranging from $12 to $20 noting Commonwealth Rent Assistance may be claimed to help with costs.

“The three people have been approved as Category 1 priority for public housing.

“When people stay in public housing or emergency accommodation, they contribute toward the cost of their accommodation by paying around 25 per cent of their income.”