Lord Mayor Robert Doyle does U-turn on rough sleeping laws, backs street patrols and active policing

MELBOURNE Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has backed away from tough laws to crack down on homeless people and professional beggars in the CBD.

• Melbourne East homeless shelter plan stuns locals
• Moreland Council considers new laws to allow homeless to camp in public
• Rough sleepers return to Elizabeth St

MELBOURNE Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has backed away from tough laws to crack down on homeless people and professional beggars in the CBD.

EDITORIAL

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The mayor instead is backing a plan of street patrols and active policing which he said had reduced the number of people sleeping on the streets, and eliminated camps.

Cr Doyle, who went to last year’s election vowing to solve the homeless problem blighting the city, said the action plan, which had been trialled for five months, would now become permanent.

Lord Mayor Rober Doyle says his homeless action plan will now become permanent.

The council has signed a formal protocol with Victoria Police to move on makeshift camps and beggars. It comes in response to a squalid homeless camp that ran for weeks outside Flinders St station in January as well as continued problems with aggressive behaviour and begging.

But the big test of the protocols will come in the warmer months when tourists and families flock to the city for shopping and sports events such as the Australian Open tennis.

Homeless people were still sleeping rough on Tuesday, with several spotted in Elizabeth St in front of shops.

Hair 2 GO Superstore manager Sam Raniolo said homeless people no longer camp outside his shop every night. Picture: Ian Currie

Hair 2 GO Superstore manager Sam Raniolo said homeless people were there every day but no longer camping overnight.

“It’s not as bad, they’re not there day in, day out but if you walk around Elizabeth St, it’s not very nice.’’

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said police were taking a more aggressive stance on beggars.

Mr Ashton said target operations in the CBD had addressed criminal and anti-social behaviour.

Cr Doyle said the council would work within existing laws to deal with the issue and pointed out that it was not ­illegal to be homeless.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said police were taking a more aggressive stance on beggars. Picture: Mark Stewart

The council proposed in February tough anti-camping laws that would effectively ban rough sleeping in the city. Those laws have been put on hold and rough sleepers will remain, with Cr Doyle saying he preferred to work with police and welfare agencies.

“If people are affecting the amenity of an area, if they are blocking entrance or an exit, then we can use these protocols,” he said.

Acting housing minister Jill Hennessy said that since January, 160 people had found permanent accommodation.

@IanRoyall

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