Health workers rate Southport’s Carey Park in poor condition after finding faeces and piles of rubbish
Grim conditions at Southport’s tent city have sparked health concerns for homeless campers – and anger among local residents. Here’s what authorities have found.
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The Carey Park tent city in the Southport CBD is sparking health concerns with faeces and a large amount of rubbish found on the site.
State Government support workers have rated the area to be in “poor condition” after finding “faeces, urine smell, flies and large amount of rubbish” along with “fires burning”.
The health report card was written up after critical response teams visited following 14 rough sleepers being evicted late last week – the biggest crackdown in the housing crisis so far.
This masthead can reveal several have returned to Carey Park because other camp spots further north of the CBD were unsafe.
They say residents at Labrador on Friday vandalised their new camp site and verbally abused a charity volunteer trying to help them. Tensions are increasing at all sites.
“There’s a lot of anxiety in the camp. The council told us to put the rubbish on the footpath. The locals are taking photographs, we complied (with direction) and we don’t blame them that they are angry,” an older Carey Park camper said.
Many campers say it is impossible to maintain their hygiene, which led to some rough sleepers being treated at the Gold Coast University Hospital for infections.
“When we got here they (the council) made an agreement that they would keep the toilets open. That lasted two weeks. Between the hours of 10pm and 6am we can’t go to the toilet. For the ladies, it’s very distressing,” an older homeless man said.
Residents are complaining to the government and council that some homeless are visiting major chain food stores and walking out with food without paying.
“There is an issue of tent people visiting a Woolworths supermarket (in the CBD) and walking out without paying. They are not challenged by the female staff as they are scared of weapons,” a resident wrote.
“They then go back and brag to there other mates, and so this escalates. I personally contacted Woolworths Head Office and they are going to implement security guards with stab proof vests and cuffs and stop this crap.”
Both homeless camp leaders and council agree there has been an increase in crime.
A camp leader said: “A lot of people are now sleeping in doorways in Southport. I guarantee you there will be a lot more crime. They have nothing (like the camp) where they can go to sleep.
“They locked the toilets up at four o’clock, whereas it used to be 7pm before. With the rubbish, council won’t come and collect it.”
Southport-based councillor Brooke Patterson said and senior City staff had a meeting planned with Housing Minister Sam O’Connor and housing bureaucrats on June 13.
The City could not clean up the site until the homeless were moved on to ensure the safety of its officers, she said.
On the theft occurring in stores, she said: “I know that, the security guards know who is coming in. It’s a real problem.
“We are doing everything we can, the police are doing everything they can.”
Government sources confirm there were 23 people residing at Carey Park before the latest evictions on Thursday saw 14 rough sleepers leave the tent city.
Of the eight new rough sleepers in the park, two had relocated from New South Wales, one was from Cairns and at least four from previous locations on the Gold Coast.
At least 17 of the campers have been engaging with critical response teams and those government officers involved in housing support pathways.
At time of writing were at least 11 rough sleepers at Carey Park. Some of the homeless evicted previously had began returning, volunteer supporters said.
“They went down to Labrador. Locals had ripped two tents down. They have had to move back to Carey Park for safety.”
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Originally published as Health workers rate Southport’s Carey Park in poor condition after finding faeces and piles of rubbish
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