The Moreton Bay Council has voted to ban homeless people from keeping pets in public spaces, and sleeping in vehicles and vans in public spaces.

Mayor Peter Flannery, the man who proposed the motion to council that was passed unanimously, told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, 'we've seen a dramatic increase, particularly in the last 12 months, of people illegal camping or claiming to be homeless.'

'That number has grown and grown significantly, as well as the complaints of people from the wider community who have come into contact with these people in those public areas,' the Mayor said.

'I've had childcare centres saying we can't go to the park anymore because there's homeless people sleeping near it and have been abusive, or schoolchildren worry about going to the park because the toilets have been overtaken by homeless people.

We try to be compassionate as much as possible and reason with those people and take a sensible approach.'

'It's got to the point now that the public safety has become a critical issue now, particularly summer and the school holidays, people going to our parks, our foreshores, our beaches,' Peter Flannery continued.

'Some of these people, like you said, don't want to accept the support that's been offered to them, want to stay there because they're camping for free and we've said enough's enough for that and if you're doing the wrong thing, we want to move you on.'

Mayor Flannery said it was a 'difficult decision, but we had to make it.'

 

The Moreton Bay Council has voted to ban homeless people from keeping pets in public spaces, and sleeping in vehicles and vans in public spaces.
Mayor Peter Flannery, the man who proposed the motion to council that was passed unanimously, told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, 'we've seen a dramatic increase, particularly in the last 12 months, of people illegal camping or claiming to be homeless.'
'That number has grown and grown significantly, as well as the complaints of people from the wider community who have come into contact with these people in those public areas,' the Mayor said.
'I've had childcare centres saying we can't go to the park anymore because there's homeless people sleeping near it and have been abusive, or schoolchildren worry about going to the park because the toilets have been overtaken by homeless people.
We try to be compassionate as much as possible and reason with those people and take a sensible approach.'
'It's got to the point now that the public safety has become a critical issue now, particularly summer and the school holidays, people going to our parks, our foreshores, our beaches,' Peter Flannery continued.
'Some of these people, like you said, don't want to accept the support that's been offered to them, want to stay there because they're camping for free and we've said enough's enough for that and if you're doing the wrong thing, we want to move you on.'
Mayor Flannery said it was a 'difficult decision, but we had to make it.'
&nbsp;

If it's happening in Brisbane, you'll hear about it first on 4BC Breakfast with Peter Fegan.

If it's happening in Brisbane, you'll hear about it first on 4BC Breakfast with Peter Fegan.

Advertisement