Brisbane council ‘dumping’ homeless tents, belongings

Brisbane City Council worker spotted dumping homeless tents and belongings into truck for landfill.

Brisbane City Council has been accused of regularly throwing tents and belongings provided to the city’s homeless community into landfill.

Paul Slater, who through the Northwest Community Groups Incorporated, organises tents, bedding and clothing donations for those affected by the housing crisis, revealed council workers were binning tents he had handed out just days prior.

Mr Slater said up to 150 people have accessed his service in the past month, including distributing more than 50 tents to those sleeping rough and unable to be placed into emergency accommodation.

Tents lining Cathedral Square Park prior to their removal. Picture supplied

“The other week the council took five tents from Cathedral Place, that were still being used, and threw them straight into the dump truck,” he said.

“I had only given some of those tents out a couple of days before.

“I called them (council) about it, and spoke to the team who moved one person on, but the others did not move their tents and just lost them.

“They (council) said they had a compassionate approach to it.

“In the case of Cathedral Square Park, they hold markets there on Thursday so that’s why they wanted them out by Wednesday, but some can’t leave or get their stuff in time so they just take it.”

Mr Slater said he offered to collect any tents on behalf of council to avoid them being binned.

“I asked if I could come and grab them and repurpose them for other people, but no one has responded to me about it,” he said.

“People are paying $50 for their tents and they’re (council) throwing them away.

“To think they’re going into the garbage is just insane.

“We’re in an absolute emergency where I have people telling me they’re sleeping on footpaths. I just can’t express how broken the system is.”

A Brisbane City Council worker pictured removing tents on Roma St. Picture supplied

Greens mayoral candidate Jonathan Sriranganathan said those sleeping rough were worried about leaving their belongings.

“They worry that every time they walk across the street to use a toilet, or leave their spot for an hour to attend a support service appointment, they might come back and find that the council has taken their tent and bedding,” he said.

“People are trying to get back on their feet, but it’s a lot harder when the council keeps taking the few possessions you’ve been able to accumulate.”

Civic Cabinet Chair for Community, Arts and Nighttime Economy and Central Ward Councillor Vicki Howard said council was working to get people into homes sooner.

“How can the State and Federal governments justify 500 empty beds when people in crisis are sleeping in tents?” she said.

“We called for the idle Pinkenba Quarantine Facility to be opened more than 460 days ago.

“That’s 460 nights that 500 men, women and children have been needlessly living in tents when they could have been in safe and secure accommodation at Pinkenba.”

Council will place a notice on an abandoned tent at least 24 hours prior to its removal to allow the owner to come forward and claim it.