Martin Place tent city: Tough new NSW government powers let Premier Gladys Berejiklian break up camp

THE NSW Government is moving to shut down Martin Place’s tent city with new powers following the collapse of a truce between Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and the so-called “mayor” of the homeless camp.

Tents in place at Martin Place, housing dozens of homeless people. Picture: John Grainger

• Martin Place tent city leader vows to stay in place
• Tent City a ‘mockery’: Government

THE State Government is at last moving to shut down Martin Place’s tent city by arming itself with new powers following Monday night’s immediate collapse of a flimsy truce negotiated between Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and the so-called “mayor” of the homeless camp Lanz Priestley.

Ms Moore had announced that she had struck a deal with Mr Priestley to pack up the tent city, but that fell apart within minutes of her triumphant press conference, with the community refusing to move until their conditions — including a large hall for communal sleeping — were met.

The attempted agreement had followed state government warnings it would be forced to step in and act if the council could not solve the problem by Tuesday morning.

Tents in place at Martin Place. Picture: John Grainger

Yesterday Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced her government would change the law to empower it kick people off Crown lands within the boundaries of the City of Sydney if they are determined to be conducting “unauthorised activity and anything that compromises public safety”.

“We looked at existing laws and exhausted every opportunity,” she said.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the government will step in to deal with the issue. Picture: John Grainger

“There was nothing in the existing laws that we could do that would resolve this issue amicably, over and above what the City of Sydney could do.”

Ms Moore had insisted the state use the Crown Lands Act to dismantle the homeless camp, but the government had been adamant that such a move would involve an unacceptably lengthy court process and the issuing of warrants.

The state government expects to be able to use its new laws by Friday, potentially setting up a showdown with the tent city’s residents at the weekend.

“This is a course of action I wish I didn’t have to take, but it’s a course of action we have to take because to date the City of Sydney has not done what it has within its power to do and what it should have done,” Ms Berejiklian said.

So-called ‘tent city mayor Lanz Priestly’ refused to move on despite making a deal with Clover Moore. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is concerned about the state government stepping in. Picture: AAP Image/Brendan Esposito

Lanz Priestly said he has not yet decided how to proceed following the government announcement. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

She also questioned the “motives of some on that site”.

“I’m concerned about people who genuinely are homeless who may be caught up and manipulated by what’s going on at that site,” the premier said.

However Ms Moore yesterday said Ms Berejiklian’s move to change laws was “potentially risking conflicts between police and vulnerable homeless people as in Melbourne”.

And Mr Priestley yesterday told The Daily Telegraph he was yet to determine how the group would deal with a situation that had police sent in to shift them on the back of the new laws.

“I’ve not decided what our reaction to that will be — I have to consult with the guys that are here,” he said.

Mr Priestley said his concern remained the safety of those in the tents, as well as the public and the police.

“All the punitive legislation in the world that she might want to pass will not solve the fact that people are sleeping on the streets and people will be unsafe in the paradigm that she’s proposing to go forward with,” he added.