‘My home is gone’: Claims Brisbane Council binned homeless tents

A community of homeless camping in Brisbane’s Musgrave Park say they have been forced to stand guard against council’s regular patrols to rip down tents and bin belongings.

Musgrave Park residents are standing guard over their tents, as tensions again rise between the city’s homeless population and council workers.

Brisbane City Council says officers gave several warnings before they arrived at Musgrave Park on Thursday morning to begin their latest tent cull.

Council claims officers first verbally notified people in the area on Tuesday, and placed notices on tents on Wednesday ahead of the spree.

But park resident Michael Vogler said no note was left on his tent, and he was lucky that a friend had witnessed council workers removing it and intervened.

“I was just up the road and my mate’s run up and told me about it, they said council just came in and tried to take it,” he said.

Michael Vogler with the sign he leaves in his tent, the council has tried to remove it twice. Picture: Liam Kidston

“They actually had pulled them up and told them I was living in it.

“We got them to drop it on the ground before it made it into the truck.”

Mr Volger said council visits were becoming more frequent, with the homeless community now in fear of leaving their tents unattended.

“I was told they come Tuesdays and Thursdays around midmorning but now they’re starting to come on Fridays as well,” he said.

“Normally they come down to the park and they’ve got a truck and a couple of workers and then there’s this liaison guy who likes the little tent hitman who decides what goes.

“It’s like they expect you to sit around waiting in fear because if you’re not there they’ll take it.

“Can’t go out for a shower, can’t go out to get groceries, none of that because I’ll come back and my home is gone.”Paul Slater, who is widely known among the community as someone who donates tents, clothing and food, said an agreement had been made with council following earlier complaints of tent dumping.

“The agreement we have is if council sees one of my signs in the tent, they gave us two days before they remove it,” he said.

Homeless tents in Musgrave Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Michael had a full set up as well, cloth storage containers, little table and chairs, it’s his home, there’s no doubt about it.

“And the sign he had was one the back wall of the tent directly in front of you, so there’s no way they didn’t see it.”

The Courier-Mail viewed an email sent by council to Mr Slater advising him of the upcoming removal of three tents, however Mr Slater claims he never recieved it.

Mr Volger said council officers had accused Mr Slater of erecting “dummy tents”.

“They said something around the lines of, ‘Paul’s been leaving dummy tents around,’ and that he leaves and air bed and a couple of other pieces in it to make it look like it’s being used,” Mr Volger said.

Mr Slater dismissed the “insane” accusation.

“They’re actively saying that we’re putting fake tents up, that’s insane.

“I’m trying to help people, I’m not leaving tents there for days on end.

Tents in Musgrave Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

“If someone's gone I’ll take the tent and repurpose it later for someone else who needs it.”

Civic Cabinet Chair for Community, Arts and Nighttime Economy Vicki Howard strongly rejected claims that council workers had failed to contact tent owners and said council was working everyday with “victims of the state government’s crisis accommodation failure”.

“We strongly reject any suggestion that our longstanding process has not been followed in this case as notice that the tent may be removed was given verbally, on a notice attached to the tent and in writing over several days,” she said.

“As soon as officers became aware the tent was occupied it was immediately returned and assistance provided to erect it.”

But Mr Volger says its not the first time he’s experienced “tent drama” with council.

“I’ve had this drama with them before actually,” he said.

“About month ago I caught them trying to take my tent and they said ‘oh, it was kept too clean’.

“They thought no one was living there.

“I think they just want people to feel uneasy so they move along.”