Housing advocate pushes for solutions as council, police target tent city violence

A homeless advocate wants authorities to ‘hurry up’ and find more accommodation as police and Brisbane City Council team up to fight escalating violence in makeshift communities.

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A Queensland homeless advocate has urged authorities to “hurry up” and find more housing options as Queensland Police and Brisbane City Council team up to combat escalating violence in makeshift communities.

Brisbane City Council has received 1 complaint a week from residents about concerns parks becoming a “no-go zones”.

Other government agencies – including Department of Housing and Public Works, and Queensland Health – are also involved in the taskforce and have met three times since October 25.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner asked Queensland Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski to step in after allegations of stabbings, fires and vandalism of electric barbecues at both Musgrave Park and Kurilpa in October.

It’s understood Brisbane City Council was contacted 67 times over safety concerns and crime in Musgrave and Kurilpa Point parks in West End between November last year and the end of October. This does not include reports to police.

Vandalism at Kurilpa Point Bridge last Friday. Picture: Supplied

Micah Projects chief executive Karyn Walsh said she had not been told of the taskforce but hoped housing solutions were being included in the plans.

And she questioned the involvement of police as council looks into move-on powers.

“I think police should be involved when crimes are committed. There has been a bit of violence and the fires in the park and that deserves investigation,” Ms Walsh said.

“In general we shouldn’t criminalise homelessness but when crimes of violence and harms have been committed they need to be investigated.

“We have been saying it for years, parks aren’t safe and they are not appropriate places to live. We need accommodation, we need proper balance for short term crisis and long term housing.”

Ms Walsh said the solution was for government agencies to “hurry up” and provide long-term and short-term housing for residents in parks.

“Not to say it’s just the people in the parks’ problem, they don’t have somewhere to live. They need to live within the law,” she said.

Tent community in Kurilpa Park.

City Standards Chair Councillor Sarah Hutton said there were growing fears about community safety.

“We’ve received feedback from residents who are concerned about parks becoming no-go zones with reports of stabbings, significant drug use and brawls spilling into traffic in broad daylight,” Cr Hutton said.

“We’re committed to keeping our community safe and are addressing this escalating aggressive and anti-social behaviour through a joint task force with the police and State Government’s housing and health departments.”

A Queensland Police spokesman said they were committed to ensuring Brisbane residents were safe and acknowledged the complexity of homelessness.

“Police, the BCC and various partner agencies and NGOs engage proactively to support rough sleepers and where possible assist with transitioning people into more suitable options,” a QPS spokesman said.

“The QPS assist the BCC while they take action to address this issue.”

Karyn Walsh CEO of Micah Projects slamming the delayed housing response. Photo: supplied

This comes as another spate of dangerous vandalism in hot-wiring barbecues in Musgrave Park in West End and Kurilpa Point Park in South Brisbane last week – 24 hours after previous damage was fixed.

Ms Hutton said the damage added to more than $30,000 so far.

Nourish Street founder Beau Haywood said security cameras had been installed at Eddie Hyland Park in Lawnton, where people were camping in tents and said it still continues to be a “hotspot for crime.” 

Tracey Hind 58 and partner Stephen Ibbetson 72 (with 19yr old Charlie the dog) Tracey Wilkinson 59 who were living in the car park at the show grounds in Lawnton, Brisbane. Photo: Lyndon Mechielsen.

“In Eddie Hyland Park they have put cameras in. It is a hotspot for crime, they had been installed around three to four months ago but hasn’t stopped the anti-social behaviour there and police are almost every other day,” Mr Haywood said. 

Mr Haywood said while some residents had been moved into housing for everyone one person that leaves two more people arrive. 

Originally published as Housing advocate pushes for solutions as council, police target tent city violence