Logan City Council secretly relocating homeless people to Brisbane’s Musgrave Park

Logan City Council park rangers have been filmed secretly relocating homeless people to Brisbane’s Musgrave Park. WATCH THE VIDEO

Logan City Council park rangers have secretly relocated a number of homeless people to a Brisbane park with the treatment likened to “unwanted pets”, it can be revealed.

In an exclusive video obtained by The Courier-Mail a park ranger can be seen unloading luggage from the tray of an unmarked ute.

It is understood several homeless people were relocated to Musgrave Park in South Brisbane last weekend.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said: “We have been assured by Logan City Council this will not happen again”.

“It demonstrates the extent of the current homelessness scourge and shows yet again why the State and Federal governments must stop making excuses and open the idle Pinkenba Quarantine Facility as crisis accommodation,” he said.

A Logan City Council worker filmed relocating homeless people to Brisbane’s Musgrave Park.

One of the people relocated from Logan to Musgrave Park.

A Logan City Council spokesman said last Sunday a “council officer was trying to be understanding of the requests from those involved”.

“What then occurred is not standard practice and deviated from usual protocols,” he said.

“Steps have now been taken to ensure council’s procedures are always followed.

“When people are found to be sleeping overnight in parks in the City of Logan, Logan

City Council endeavours to connect them with government agencies, local charities

and other organisations that can offer support.

“Council is always compassionate for people experiencing difficult circumstances in

our community.”

Brisbane-based homeless support provider Micah Projects helped 62 people access temporary or permanent housing last week.

But Micah Projects CEO Karyn Walsh described the actions of Logan City Council park rangers as “absolutely ridiculous” while Queensland Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch said:

“If this is an accurate report, it is completely unacceptable”.

“People experiencing homelessness should not be shunted from one council area to another,” Ms Enoch said.

“The whole country is experiencing unprecedented housing challenges that Queensland is not immune from.

“In the midst of these challenges, vulnerable people should not be subjected to this kind of treatment.”

Asked whether she felt let down by Logan City Council, Ms Walsh said “I think it is frustrating when we don’t work collaboratively as a system of services”.

“Homelessness is as much created by how our systems work together as it is by individual circumstances,” she said.

Musgrave Park residents Darren Stanley, MJ Williams, Kailaeb Vescia-Stanley and Patrick Cummins. Picture: Matthew Poon

“The message is that collaboration for a Housing First model works – we just need to increase supply and not have all investment flow to crisis responses.”

“Musgrave Park is not free camping and I think the council and everyone need to be clear what it is … we are working with people as much as we can.

“Over 10 organisations have committed their time and resources to looking at how we get people from Musgrave housed and that includes the Department of Housing.”

It comes just weeks after Mr Schrinner declared the housing crunch “nothing short of a crisis” and made a renewed plea for the Pinkenba quarantine facility to be used for accommodation.

Gabba Ward Councillor Trina Massey said: “the reality is that we have a renting and housing crisis – it’s a systematic issue”.

“We have had inaction from the State Government … I wouldn’t say it’s disappointing, it just highlights the problem of homelessness that exists outside of Brisbane and across the state,” she said.

Ms Massey said the Pinkenba quarantine facility is a “very short term, temporary solution” amid a “housing deficit”.

“The temporary housing accommodation is not safe for people, people want security and safety in housing,” she said.

“What we need is the State government, Federal and councils to really look at this in a truthful, honest and compassionate way.”

West End community member Rhianon runs Feeding 4101, which provides food for the homeless in Musgrave Park.

West End resident Rhianon, who has dedicated her time to feeding the homeless at Musgrave Park said “Logan City Council needs to step up and support their homeless people”.

“Homeless people aren’t unwanted pets that you drop off somewhere to be rehomed … they are human beings with connections to their community, who need to be supported and treated with dignity and care,” she said.

“(Logan City Council) can engage the Department of Housing the same as every other council … it’s like ‘out of sight out of mind’.”

Logan City Council’s website states that park rangers “educate park users on appropriate use and enforce our local laws”.

Darren Stanley has been forced to live on the streets with his 17-year-old son after a long-term relationship ended earlier this year.

But Mr Stanley said temporary housing including the Pinkenba quarantine facility is a “Band-Aid solution”.

“I’m not going anywhere until they give me something permanent because I don’t want to be back in the park in three months,” he said.

“Logan City Council dropped someone off (on Monday) … they were offered temporary housing straight away.”

Ms Walsh said Pinkenba quarantine facility was not designed as a long-term solution.

“There are lots of people in housing stress, so it’s really about looking at what is the best population that could use that facility in a way that is supportive – you don’t want people staying there for too long because it is not designed for that,” she said.

“We don’t want all the money to go to crises and not have anywhere to move people to.”

Ms Enoch said the Queensland Government “allocated $166.3 million for our Specialist Homelessness Program, which funds Specialist Homelessness Services and local councils are aware of these services”.

“In the Brisbane local government area, as at 1 April 2023 the department provides $51 million in funding across 31 non-government organisations to deliver 51 Specialist Homelessness Services and in the Logan LGA, as at 1 April 2023 the department provides over $7 million in funding across six non-government organisations for nine SHS,” she said.

Originally published as Logan City Council secretly relocating homeless people to Brisbane’s Musgrave Park