Gold Coast City Council criticised for throwing out homeless man’s belongings, council says situation was a misunderstanding

A Gold Coast man has lashed out after his homeless mate’s possessions were binned – but council says it was a mistake

A HOMELESS man sleeping under a bridge a stone’s throw from waterfront mansions says he’s “bloody disgusted” his belongings were tossed in the bin by Gold Coast City Council.

Gold Coast man Anthony Grech took to Facebook to rally support for his homeless friend Dave Randall, who he said had been living under the bridge leading to Chevron Island.

Mr Grech posted a video alongside Mr Randall, airing their grievances, and he started a Facebook fundraiser to “help (Mr Randall) get clothes toiletries, bedding and a home”.

Anthony Grech with rough sleeper Dave Randall. The pair have appeared in a video together after Mr Randall's belongings were thrown in the bin by council workers.

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In the video, shared hundreds of times, Mr Grech spoke of Mr Randall’s belongings being thrown in the garbage several weeks ago.

Mr Randall added he had been “no good” since his few belongings were dumped: “I feel disgusted with what the council has done.”

Mr Grech said Mr Randall, who appears downcast in the video, had been homeless for five years and he had been helping his mate for about 18 months.

“What happened, probably about three weeks ago, the council have come here, got directions or orders to come, and just thrown all his stuff away,” he said.

“They’ve come here and picked all his stuff up, everything he owns and they’ve thrown it away into the bin, just like that.

“I think that’s disgusting.

“The council knew he was sleeping here – everyone knew he was under here. We’ve been trying to get him off the streets and get him a place.”

Sunday’s video comes days after the council controversially evicted several homeless people from an illegal ‘tent city’ in picturesque Carey Park.

Anthony Grech with rough sleeper Dave Randall in a screenshot from the video posted to Facebook.

Mr Grech said he and Mr Randall were “like brothers now” and he had “been trying to get him off the streets”.

“But the main point is the council can’t be just throwing, like, all his belongings away in the bin. It’s not right … it really upsets me,” he said.

“These guys are doing it tough, they’re struggling.

Mr Grech said rangers were “just moving the homeless on” to other areas and the council “don’t have any idea what they’re doing”.

However, rookie councillor Brooke Patterson previously said the council had been working with the Department of Housing to line up accommodation for some homeless Gold Coasters.

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Mr Grech said he wanted to “let the public know what’s going on here in the streets”.

A council spokeswoman said: “City cleaners removed the items, which were left unattended in a public area, believing they had been discarded.

“We are working closely with the Queensland Government, through the Department of Housing and Public Works (DHPW) and as well as local specialist homelessness services in relation to this individual’s situation,” she said.

“The causes and impacts of homelessness are complex and require a co-ordinated response by a range of relevant government departments, community organisations and local businesses.”

She said the Queensland Government was responsible for housing and homelessness services.

“However, city officers do work closely with the DHPW, Queensland Police Service, Queensland Health and local community services to address these issues.”