The Coast has more than 400 rough sleepers as City issues second wave of eviction notices
Homeless people in a mushrooming Southport tent city have been given a deadline to pack up or face fines of up to $8000 in an unprecedented crackdown. Full details.
Gold Coast
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Homeless people in a Southport tent city have been given a 5pm Tuesday deadline to pack up or face court action with fines of up to $8000 in an unprecedented crackdown.
Gold Coast City Council officers can issue an on-the-spot fine of $806 to the rough sleepers in Carey Park or seek a court-imposed penalty of $8060.
The City has also made it clear it has the further option of charging the homeless for the cost of getting council staffers to clear away the tents.
If they issue a “performance of work” notice, council can recover the amount it costs in taking action “as a debt from the responsible person”.
But the City will need the co-operation of police in the removal, and homeless leaders say human rights laws protect them from being forced back out on the streets of the CBD.
A report to council’s planning committee on Tuesday estimates more than 400 people are homeless in the city in what is a growing accommodation crisis.
For the campers in the CBD park opposite the Southport Bowls Club, this is their second official warning that they are breaking at least two local laws.
They have been told to stop storing and leaving their “tents, furniture, bags and bedding”.
Homeless leaders estimate there are 70 people camping around Southport.
Homeless Carey Park leader Matangirau “Uncz” Hira said 30 campers in Carey Park were locals living on the street. Some arrived after media publicity, others spotted the tents.
“A lot of them were just walking around and they see us, and say ‘what’s going on’. The first thing we do is feed them,” he said.
“We give them a hot meal and hot drink, and while they’re doing that we are sorting out the bedding for them and a tent. How long they are going to stay — I’ll leave that to the next day when they have had a good sleep.”
Southport councillor Brooke Patterson said: “The City has an obligation to manage public spaces for safety and amenity of all residents and visitors.
“The engagement conducted by the City last week is a continuance of standard compliance procedures with compliance notices issued to individuals that had previously received a move on direction.”
Ms Patterson confirmed a report to Tuesday’s planning committee aimed to gain endorsement for an “enhanced compliance strategy” after increased resident complaints.
“The Department of Housing and Public Works Critical Response Team and other services have also been engaging with individuals at Carey Park,” she said.
Officers in the report provide an estimate on the numbers of homeless – many now obvious after being given new tents by support services after Cyclone Alfred – and offer up solutions.
They are recommending the City switched from a “welfare approach” to a compliance model. It means contacting police and seeking court orders for non-compliance.
“Over 400 individuals are sleeping rough in public spaces, including families, young people, and older residents,” officers said.
“This trend reflects broader state-wide patterns, with homelessness in Queensland increasing by 22 per cent since 2017 – nearly three times the national average.”
Mayor Tom Tate earlier this month said he was saddened by the crisis but offered to pay the bus fares of the homeless if they wanted to move to Byron Bay.
Officers said the Gold Coast’s homeless crisis had created potential safety concerns and was making public spaces unavailable for broader community use.
“The Gold Coast is facing a shortage of social and affordable housing, with demand far exceeding supply. Rising rental prices and long waiting lists for public housing are making it increasingly difficult for low-income residents to secure stable accommodation,” they said.
“The City does not have a legislated responsibility for providing housing or homelessness services. It is responsible for managing and regulating public spaces.”
City sources say a leading welfare group have told council it needs to change from its welfare-first approach in approaching homeless, instead focusing on compliance first.
The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is the primary law enforcement agency and “pivotal in the compliance response”.
“If statutory notices or fines do not achieve the desired effect, the City considers a formal handover to QPS or prosecution. Both of these options have not been tested,” officers said.
Council staffers will seek to achieve compliance immediately but their decisions and actions will be subject to a Human Rights Act Assessment.
The exercise of the “officer’s discretion” will determine the time frame required to achieve compliance. Carey Park homeless leaders cite human rights reasons for remaining there.
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