Graeme Aitken: Gold Coast City Council fines sick homeless man again for camping at Burleigh

An ill homeless man living out of a van with his dog is pleading with the Gold Coast City Council to show some humanity after receiving another fine for illegal camping.

AN ill homeless man living out of a van with his dog is appealing to the Gold Coast City Council to show some humanity after receiving another fine for illegal camping.

Graeme Aitken, 66, was slugged another $650 on top of the $1200 fines issued in August.

A council officer gave him his marching orders and the infringement notice last Friday night, an experience that left Mr Aitken shaken and confused.

“I was half asleep and he just kept saying ‘who said you could park here?’ and the cop that was with him was going around the van as if he was going to put it off the road,” Mr Aitken said.

Graeme Aitken lives with his dog Duke in a van at Burleigh Beach. Picture: Jerad Williams

“I don’t know what to do.”

Since the Bulletin published details of Mr Aitken’s plight in August, he says he has received a single 3am warning from a council officer that he could not continue to park at the Burleigh Beach location.

Mr Aitken has been living in his van with his dog Duke for more than three years. Eating just a few pieces of toast a day and a single hot meal every other, Mr Aitken has survived off his small pension.

Gold Coast City Council has fined Mr Aitken for a second time. Picture: Jerad Williams

His health deteriorated at the start of this year, and it became nearly impossible to leave the toilet block for more than an hour, he said.

His received a medical certificate from a GP for a debilitating bladder condition.

It reads: “I’d be grateful if he could be shown some compassion from the local council.”

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After being fined twice in August, a tearful Mr Aitken told the Bulletin he had nowhere else to go.

Multiple people offered to donate hot meals, clothing and portable toilets for Mr Aitken to use after reading the Bulletin’s story. Mr Aitken said he continued to park in the beachfront park at the end of Second Ave as it provided convenient 24-hour access to a public toilet block.

“I have a doctor’s certificate and a letter from the surgeon saying that I have been accepted and that I’m on the waiting list,” he said.

Graeme Aitken with his friend Kim Dale-Taylor at Burleigh Beach. Picture: Jerad Williams

“But my condition is getting worse and I need to be near a toilet all the time. I park near the same spot through the day as well.”

Mr Aitken said he was despondent at the lack of compassion from the council.

“It’s inhumane, they don’t care about my pain and now I’m going to ring up the human rights lawyers.

“I don’t cause any trouble. I sit there and use the toilet when I have to. I can’t even sleep.”

A City spokesman said council had already tried to assist Mr Aitken connect with homeless support services.

Regarding Mr Aitken’s infringement notices, the City spokesman said anyone who wished to have a penalty notice reviewed could do so by contacting the council.