Mayoral candidate pledges to create Father Bob refuge for homeless people

LORD Mayoral candidate Jennifer Yang has high-profile support to convert a council archives building into a crisis accommodation centre and name it after Father Bob Maguire.

A COUNCIL archives building would be converted into a crisis accommodation centre for Melbourne’s homeless, lord mayoral candidate Jennifer Yang has pledged.

The seven-storey building at 602 Lt Bourke St would be named after Father Bob Maguire.

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The proposed Father Bob’s Refuge for Women and Children would provide accommodation for women and their children.

The crisis accommodation centre would be named after Father Bob Maguire.

The Salvation Army’s Brendan Nottle has backed the plan, saying it would help people who have to sleep rough.

“The Salvation Army works every day with rough sleepers. Women and children are the

most vulnerable among them.”

Ms Yang, a former Manningham mayor, said homelessness was the biggest issue facing the city.

Lord Mayoral candidate Jennifer Yang has pledged a crisis accommodation refuge for the homeless in the CBD. Picture: Ian Currie

“We can and must do better than just building lockers, or continuing with the policies overseen by current and former councillors who are candidates in this race,” she said.

Ms Yang’s promise, made at her campaign launch on Sunday, was also supported by state Labor Minister Natalie Hutchins, the first endorsement of a senior party figure for any candidate.

Father Bob said he was “honoured and humbled” that the proposed refuge would be named after him.

Artist's impression of a proposed Father Bob homeless refuge at 602 Lt Bourke St, currently a council archives building. Lord Mayoral candidate Jennifer Yang has pledged to convert it to a homeless refuge.

“As someone who has experienced family violence, this has a particular personal resonance

for me,” he said.

“The twin problems of family violence and homelessness are enigmatic of a society that is

failing its most needy. This refuge will be an important part of addressing that failure.”

Rival candidate Sally Capp has pledged to provide lockers for homeless people.

Ballot papers in the postal election will be send out this week. Fourteen candidates are vying to replace Robert Doyle who quit in February amid a sexual harassment scandal.

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