Council
25 March, 2025
Demand for charity slumps
A CHARITY that has provided food for the homeless over the past year says demand has halved since Moreton Bay Council clamped down on camping on public land.
Nourish Street’s Beau Haywood, said the threat of fines after the council effectively banned homelessness, had reduced his services from almost daily to just three days a week.
But he said he did not think the policy addressed the root of the problem surrounding homelessness.
“The threat of fines has caused people to go who-knows-where and when that happens services can no longer engage with them, whether it be housing services or food services,” he said.
“Some of them have decided to risk staying, some I believe have moved onto private land illegally, such as homes not in use, and only a very small amount have gotten housing or accommodation.”
Mr Haywood rejected repeated claims by the Department of Housing (DoH) and Council that everyone sleeping rough in the region had been offered accommodation in the lead-up to the regulation changes.
He said he has a petition signed by 60 people experiencing homelessness in Moreton Bay which stated they had never been offered accommodation.
For many who have been offered accommodation, it has mostly been temporary for a few days, not long-term, and sometimes unsuitable for their needs.
“They offer them a motel for two or five days and then they are back on the streets. So many decline because it’s too stressful,” he said.
“Suitable accommodation is another issue, because many of these people have pets, which they would not be allowed to bring, or I know someone with a disability who got offered a space where they would have to use stairs.”
Last week, on March 20, The Sentinel accompanied Mr Haywood as he served meals to people experiencing homelessness in three Moreton Bay locations, including Redcliffe and Lawnton.
Also attending was State Member for Ferny Grove, Mark Furner, Greens candidate for Petrie, Nikil Paul, Labor candidate for Ryan, Rebecca Hack, and founder of Northwest Community Group in Brisbane, Paul Slater.
Several homeless people who spoke to The Sentinel said they had received compliance notices to vacate their areas by the end of March.
Lawnton resident, Tiffany, said she has only ever been offered two nights at a hotel and was feeling “scared” and “numb” with the new compliance notice.
“I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what I can do,” she said.
“I took it up once and stayed two nights at a hotel, but then came out worse than before, because I started feeling comfortable again but then had nowhere to come back to afterwards.
“I know they’re trying to help but there is only so much they can do.”
Another Lawnton resident, Lisa, said she has been on the emergency housing waitlist for several months, due to having had a baby six months ago, but is still waiting despite claiming to have several reference letters from different organisations.
“For me to get my six-month son back I need a three-bedroom place, but I’m not eligible for a three-bedroom place because he isn’t in my care now,” she said.
“They don’t want us here, that’s fair enough, but then find us a block of land where we can go and stay on.
“It makes me angry, concerned and I worry a lot about what’s going to happen from this day to the next.”
Lisa, who also has a dog, said she has repeatedly declined temporary accommodation due to her not being allowed to bring her pet, who she says helps with anxiety and PTSD.
Both Lisa and Tiffany told The Sentinel if someone offered them suitable accommodation for two weeks or more they would take it “in a heartbeat.”
In Redcliffe, long-term resident, Trent, said he has not been offered any accommodation by the DoH, including temporary, since Council began changing regulations around homelessness before Christmas, despite being on the social housing list for the past five years.
“I got one offer of social house in Gympie a while back, but we couldn’t take it because the woman I’m a carer for has a disability and can’t do stairs and this was a two-storey place,” he said.
“It’s very upsetting and I don’t know what I’m going to do now and I wish people would just stop being so apathetic about this.”
Another long-term resident, Hailey, has also been on the housing waitlist, having found herself homeless after she needed to immediately vacate her rental due to water damage causing health risks.
“I’ve gotten several compliance notices from Council, cops have been around and I don’t think I ever really saw any cops in the whole time I’ve been homeless until the compliances started changing before Christmas, and all of a sudden it was like six times per week,” she said.
“They told me I could stay at a place for 48 hours but without my dog, so get rid of the dog or you can’t be here, so I’ve moved now to an undisclosed location where I’m isolated.
“Plus I would have to move everything for 48 hours only to then have to set it all up again, so what’s the point.”
Member for Ferny Grove, Mark Furner, told The Sentinel it was in his interest as a Member of Parliament (MP) to interact directly with people experiencing homelessness.
“I’m disappointed local governments are putting pressure on them to move and not have an understanding of the circumstances they’re going through,” he said.
“It’s in their best interest to sit down with some of these people and get an understanding of their background, as I’ve done tonight (March 20) and will continue doing.
“I think people stereotype people that are disadvantaged or in circumstances other than ‘the norm’. I’m hearing their stories and that gives me the ability as an MP to go back and argue when governments make poor decisions.
“The circumstances of the offers of accommodation are lesser than what’s being put on the table.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Housing and Public Works said: “every individual who has engaged with the Department has either been referred to state-funded Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) for support and temporary housing or offered temporary accommodation through the Department.”
“The Department works with SHS providers to ensure at-risk individuals who are willing to engage receive ongoing housing advice, support, and resources,” the spokesperson said.
“We work with social housing tenants proactively through our Housing Service Centres and community housing providers to connect them to a wide range of services who offer specialist support and assistance.”
Since outreach commenced in the Moreton Bay region, the department through the Critical Response Team (CRT) has assisted 257 people experiencing homelessness into alternative housing which includes temporary and/or supported accommodation, community housing, long-term social housing and into the private rental market.
A spokesperson for Moreton Bay Council said there have been no Penalty Infringement Notices issued to people experiencing homelessness, adding that Council does not have the statutory powers to move people on from public spaces.
According to the spokesperson, Mayor Peter Flannery and other Councillors have personally visited multiple sites across Moreton Bay, with Council officers “supporting rough sleepers to achieve compliance with Council’s Local Laws”.
“Council is acutely aware of the ongoing complexities of homelessness affecting both individuals and communities across City of Moreton Bay,” they said.
“The need for a stable roof and proper support services is paramount for all members of our community and Council will continue to advocate to the State Government to deliver more crisis accommodation and social housing to support people experiencing homelessness.
“Moreton Bay will continue to engage with and refer individuals to the DoH for alternative accommodation and specialist homelessness support services.”
The spokesperson added that it is the DoH’s responsibility to provide crisis, transitional, supported accommodation and social housing options, and ensure housing applications progress.
Anyone in the Moreton Bay who requires housing assistance can contact the Specialist Homelessness Services 24/7, including Encircle on 3465 3276 or The Salvation Army on 3832 1491, or contact the Moreton Bay Housing Service Centre at the Caboolture Square Shopping Centre on 5432 0700.
The 24/7 Homeless Hotline is also available on 1800 474 753 for anyone experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
They can also contact their Housing Service Centre by calling 13 QGOV.
