Launceston City Council rejects blame from charity Strike it Out amid ongoing feud

An ongoing feud has reached boiling point after a homeless charity slammed a council online for not doing enough to help those who are sleeping rough. Here’s how it started.

Not-for-profit Strike it Out condemned the Launceston City Council in a social media post, saying the council had given it 24 hours notice to remove the mobile shower and sleep pod trailers parked on council land at Invermay. Picture: Supplied

A feud between a Tasmanian council and a homeless charity has reached boiling point as a heated Facebook post further inflames an already strained situation.

Not-for-profit Strike it Out condemned the Launceston City Council in the social media post, saying the council had given it 24 hours notice to remove its mobile shower and sleep pod trailers parked on council land at Invermay.

“I asked if it was possible that we could work together to issue permits for the use of the infrastructure even if it was for the showers, but it was a no,” the Strike it Out Facebook post said.

“Not only are we upset, the people who are sleeping rough are twice as upset.

“Also, apparently, the people who are sleeping rough down at Invermay have been told they have to move along, move along to where?

“When can we have some better solutions to the homelessness issue instead of just moving the problem?”

Not-for-profit Strike it Out condemned the Launceston City Council in a social media post, saying the council had given it 24 hours notice to remove the mobile shower and sleep pod trailers parked on council land at Invermay. Picture: Supplied

City of Launceston acting mayor Hugh McKenzie said it was extremely disappointing that Strike it Out had chosen not to work collaboratively with the council and was instead illegally parking the trailers on council property.

“The City of Launceston has sought to have a constructive and collaborative relationship with Strike it Out, to avoid situations where our homeless community are put at risk,“ Mr McKenzie said.

“Strike it Out has consistently blamed the City of Launceston for delays to the rollout of its shower and sleeping pod trailer project, despite the council clearly articulating the simple steps required to progress these initiatives. Despite multiple engagements with Strike it Out, going back as far as November 2022, we are no further along.“

Mr McKenzie said the council had made the request to remove the two trailers after receiving multiple complaints from community members about escalating anti-social behaviour, drug use, and infrastructure damage at the Northern Inveresk Car Park where the trailers were parked.

“If Strike it Out is serious about finding a resolution for its shower and sleeping pod trailer projects, we encourage the organisation to work with us on options, which may include their rollout on private, state or council-owned land,“ Mr McKenzie said.

“In the meantime, we are not confident that the safety and wellbeing of potential sleep pod users is sufficiently addressed by Strike It Out due to the lack of updated documentation, and it is on this basis we have asked for the trailers to be removed.”