Task force to tackle crime in Brisbane’s tent cities

Emily Verdouw |

A police and council task force will work with support services to reduce crime in Brisbane parks.
A police and council task force will work with support services to reduce crime in Brisbane parks.

Crime and drug use at two of Brisbane’s biggest homeless tent cities has prompted the city council to establish a task force with police to combat ‘anti-social behaviour’.

“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,” City Standards Chair Councillor Sarah Hutton said on Monday.

Council had received 67 complaints about safety and crime at Musgrave and Kurilpa Point parks in the inner-city in the past year. 

“While our council remains committed to a compassionate approach for those genuinely experiencing homelessness, growing fears about community safety are incredibly concerning,” Cr Hutton said. 

A Brisbane homelessness camp
Homelessness support services are under increased pressure, forcing them to turn people away. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Homelessness support services say those who commit serious crimes should be held accountable but warn against “criminalising homelessness”.

“Whilst people’s behaviour is part of the issue, it’s not whole issue”, said Karen Walsh from Micah Projects.

The council had relaxed its attitude to people living in parks, she said.   

“They’ve been enabling people (saying) that it’s okay to be there because of the housing crisis, so people have gone back,” she said.

A Queensland Police spokesperson said the task force was a co-ordinated effort with various non-government organisations, the council and partner agencies to “engage proactively to support rough sleepers and where possible assist with transitioning people into more suitable options”.

Ms Walsh said a lack of suitable options had led many to the camps in the first place.

“We can’t give them what doesn’t exist … we know 100 people that could go to supportive housing right now.”

The options available were not always appropriate, with many having bad experiences or finding themselves unable to cope in the housing provided.

“They’re not good options … we don’t have a lot of choice available,” she said.

This comes as a report by Homelessness Australia and Impact Economics detailed homelessness support services were buckling under increased pressure, leading them to turn people away.

“We’re tyring not to do that, we know people can’t always get through to us on the phone, but we do make sure to ring people back,” Ms Walsh said.

“We have an unprecedented number of emails we’re trying to respond to.”

The report revealed there had been a 63 per cent increase in Australians at risk of homelessness since 2016.

“The reality is that affordable housing has disappeared,” Ms Walsh said.

While more crisis accommodation is needed, so is long-term supportive housing as many who are homeless have high needs like disabilities, mental illness and addictions.

“We need new models for how people can live and sustain a tenancy long term. They can’t be in crisis and live independently in the community when their needs are so high.

“Supportive housing is an evidence based model … there’s just not enough of it. But we just can’t keep doing the same things we’ve been doing.”

AAP