Melbourne’s city streets to be swept clean of ‘unsightly’ homeless camps

MELBOURNE Lord Mayor Robert Doyle is waging war on homeless camps, with CBD streets to be swept clean next week.

LORD Mayor Robert Doyle is waging war on homeless camps with CBD streets to be swept clean next week.

A makeshift camp is lining the street outside Flinders St Station where almost a dozen people have set up and hundreds pass by.

Other similar camps have popped up elsewhere and are being blamed for making the world’s most liveable city look “trashy”.

Five camps of abandoned bedding, rubbish, suitcases and junk that clogged footpaths were turfed yesterday ahead of a citywide sweep next week.

A child looks on as people camp out at Flinders St Station. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Cr Doyle said removing the camps was dangerous work for Melbourne city council compliance officers as they battled hidden syringes and faeces.

“The removal of these ­unsightly camps has to ramp up,” he said.

“I wish do-gooders would stop giving them things like doonas.

“Someone is supplying them with the means to make camps on the streets in the city.

“That is why they can walk away from this bedding that they’ve either shot up in or defecated in — they know there is a ready supply and leave it for our people to pick up.

“It makes our city look more than trashy.”

The council throws away unwanted bedding but, under the law, must store any “personal” items that could be reclaimed.

Its officers don’t have the power to move on rough sleepers, although police can if the peace is disrupted, lives endangered or public safety is at risk.

The council committed $350,000 last week to send workers onto streets and direct rough sleepers to drug and ­alcohol services, accommodation or any other services they might need.

The boots are likely to be on the ground in February, with one or more homelessness services spearheading the blitz.

It follows $616 million in housing and homelessness support promises from the State Government.

Melbourne City Mission’s Sherri Bruinhout said the government was pulling its weight, but it would take time to see the benefits.

The commitment includes $3.5 million to expand the mission’s King St headquarters and open 24 new beds.

But the project is under threat if it can’t double the funding through other government or philanthropic sources.

The mission, which combats youth homelessness, refu­ses to hand out blankets and bedding.

“We can’t be the adult that encourages young people to sleep on the street,” Ms Bruinhout said.

“We don’t hand out bedding because we want to encourage people to take up purchased ­accommodation or supported accommodation.

“The problem is the options aren’t always great because there’s just not enough to go around.

“Over the past six months, there has been $600 million in announcements, but it takes a long time for those things to hit the ground.”

Shocking photos today show the crisis with record numbers of rough sleepers.

A homeless man on Swanston Street. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

The number of homeless people on Melbourne’s streets has skyrocketed. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

A street count earlier this year revealed 247 people were homeless, compared with 142 in 2014.

Melbourne saw a string of high-profile incidents this year, including a band of homeless people pitching tents in City Square and an aggressive beggar who attacked passers-by in Elizabeth St.

A middle-aged homeless woman, who asked not to be named, said rough sleepers from interstate were clashing with local homeless people.

“I’ve never seen such an ­accumulation of stuff,” the woman said.

“A lot of people are coming from other states because they’ve heard how generous it is here in Melbourne.

“They’ve taken over one of the most visible places in Melbourne.

“I heard on Christmas Eve they got $50, they got a pair of shoes. They are doing well.”

Glen Noorbergen, 32, has been camped outside Flinders St station — between his former eastern suburbs home and his children in the west — for ­almost three weeks.

Glen Noorbergen and his dog Tonka. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

He said the station was ­always lit, patrolled 24 hours a day and other rough sleepers kept an eye on his things so they didn’t get pinched.

Mr Noorbergen said homelessness services had failed to offer the right support.

“I have been blown away by people’s generosity,” he said.

“We get so many handouts, we get more food than we can eat, we get cash donations.

“But that’s not what I want, that’s not what I need — I need a house where (my dog Tonka and I) can live and my kids can visit.”

Cr Doyle said 2017 would be make or break for Melbourne’s homelessness crisis.

“With the money that’s being put in and the effort being put in, if we can’t get on top of this problem then it has got ­beyond us,” he said.

HELPING HOMELESSNESS

■ $2 million fighting fund from Melbourne city council, on top of $1.5 million annual funding

■ Clearing city streets

■ Proposals for 24 new beds from Melbourne City Mission and about 70 from Vincent Care

■ $616 million from State Government, including:

■ About 120 new or developed housing units

■ New accommodation in Melbourne’s west

■ $152 million housing blitz

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@moniquehore