‘Deeply concerning’: Council bans homeless people sleeping in vans and keeping pets

A council has faced backlash after unveiling blanket bans for homeless people from sleeping in vans and vehicles and keeping pets in public spaces.

The City of Moreton Bay is banning homeless people from sleeping in vans on public spaces. Pets will also be banned from public spaces. Picture: Dan Peled / NewsWire

A Queensland council’s move to ban unhoused people from owning pets or sleeping in vans on public land has faced backlash.

In an effort to tackle “unacceptable, illegal behaviour” by homeless people in the area, the City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery launched the strict new changes to the council’s Persons Experiencing Homelessness Camping Framework in response of “hundreds” of complaints about the increasing number of people camping in public places.

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery has moved to ban homeless people from sleeping in vans on public land. Picture David Clark

According to the Mayor, there are currently more than 200 people sleeping rough in the Moreton Bay area, with 4500 people on the council’s social housing waiting list.

The council also reported a 90 per cent increase in people reporting homelessness over the span of 10 years, which is costing the council $2m out of its $922m 2024-2025 budget.

The framework will ban unhoused people from sleeping in vehicles on public land, including caravans, camper trailers, and vans.

The changes will also prohibit animals being kept in public spaces.

According to Flannery, there has been a worrying increase in the number of dog attacks in public spaces and “not kept under control”.

“Due to the actions of some, and that number is growing daily, a number of our public spaces have become unsafe or inaccessible to residents and our staff,” the Mayor said in a council meeting on December 12.

“This is unacceptable and I will not stand for it any longer.”

Those who fail to comely with the new framework may subjected to an $8,000 fine, according to notices obtained by the ABC.

Homeless people will be banned from sleeping in vans in public spaces and keeping pets. Picture: Dan Peled / NewsWire

Unhoused people will no longer be allowed to camp on public land. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

While the council voted in favour of the decision unanimously on December 12, the move resulted in backlash from residents, who labelled the framework “heartless”.

In response to the new laws, a petition was launched by members of the public to reverse the ban, arguing it was “dismissing the reality of individuals residing in vehicles” and proposed amended changes to the laws.

Such amendments include adding guidelines for homeless people who own pets, such as “lead restrictions of a maximum length of two metres and compulsory clean-up by pet owners after their companions”.

The petition was launched by resident Stephen Bartholemew, who said online it was “very clear” the council, state and federal governments “need to work with the community, not just sweep it under the carpet amongst each other”.

The Mayor of the City of Moreton Bay has been contacted for comment.