Community group members clash with police while attempting clean up of former TAFE Tewantin site

Advocates have been filmed declaring a “Sovereign claim” and Native Title rights to clean up an abandoned TAFE near Noosa “for the homeless” without State approval. VIDEO, DETAILS.

Footage of a tense exchange where advocates tell police they’re not trespassing at state-owned site but instead exerting their right to “clean up” for the homeless has been condemned by Noosa’s MP.

It comes after Queensland Police Service officers were called to reports of a gathering of people at the former Tewantin TAFE site at 24 Cooroy-Noosa Rd, Tewantin, on Friday, January 5.

Members of the Community Village claimed the purpose of the visit was to clean up the derelict former education facility in order to “prepare the site for use by people living in tents, cars, vans, and caravans” despite the land having never been approved for this use.

Members of the gathering of people speak to police at the former Tewantin TAFE site. Picture: Supplied

In the vision, police are seen calmly advising the gathering that while they can be on the property, they are not permitted to enter any of the buildings on the site, and that they will need an authorised representative to act on their behalf.

In response, a bearded man with a Bunnings hat claims the group has the appropriate authority to access the site.

“We are the authority, we are the authority,” he says.

The police officer then advises the man that if someone accesses the building and a complaint is made, trespass charges could be laid.

The man asks the officer “whose land is this?” to which he replies “I’ve been told it’s State Government land” prompting the man to respond “you need to ask someone to produce the bill of sale or a treaty and they can’t... the Governor General of Australia couldn’t produce it.. Annastacia Palaszczuk couldn’t produce it...”.

The officer says: “Unfortunately, I can’t help you with that situation right now.”

During the exchange the male officer is asked for his name and also questioned by a woman in a leopard print bra and pink dress, holding up her phone to record him who repeatedly asks “Where do you derive your authority of jurisdiction from?”.

The gathering of people at the former Tewantin TAFE site.

A woman in a purple “Deadly Choices” shirt who identifies herself as being a member of the Kabi Kabi people insists in the video that the gathering is an attempt to clean the site for the homeless.

“We as members of the community are here to create a peaceful environment that will end up going to the homeless,” she says

“This is a community gathering of not only the Kabi sovereign elders, but also the whole community who wants to see and help those who are in need.”

Independent Member for Noosa Sandy Bolton MP criticised the actions of the group members, who allegedly acted without approval.

The Member for Noosa Sandy Bolton MP condemned the actions of the people that gathered at the former Tewantin TAFE site.

“After being alerted yesterday (Thursday, January 4) to a Facebook post from an organisation called Community Villages asking for volunteers to clean up the site for homelessness, I immediately contacted the relevant State Government departments as to what was occurring,” Ms Bolton said.

“They advised they had no knowledge of, nor had authorised any group to enter the site, and reiterated again as they had to previous requests over the last five years that the site is totally unsuitable for accommodation due to its safety issues and high fire risk.

“Instead, the intent of today’s (Friday, January 5) activity appears to be a sovereign claim to the site, which is in opposition to the recognised processes used under Australian law.

“As the MP for Noosa, I will fight any efforts to further divide our community or delay this site being reinvigorated for the benefit of our community.”

The former Tewantin TAFE site.

Since being shut down in 2014, the multi-million-dollar former TAFE site at Tewantin has deteriorated in the years to follow, with buildings across the 11ha block vandalised.

In late-2018, Noosa Council made an offer to buy the property and then withdrew the purchase offer in mid-2020 because of the “financial impacts” of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Following that, an expression of interest process for the site’s future commenced with that process finalised in July 2022, with the announcement regarding the successful proponent since delayed due to processes related to a Federal Court Native Title claim for the broader area.

Originally published as Community group members clash with police while attempting clean up of former TAFE Tewantin site