An image of a L-plater literally making themselves at home in a public car park has divided ns with some calling for a harsher council crackdown – while others plead for mercy during a national housing crisis.
A local from Woods Bay, in the south-east Queensland tourist destination of Noosa Heads, took to Facebook to complain about an L-plated station wagon that took up two spots in a pubic parking lot overnight.
The picture of the van appears to show a tent balanced on the roof.
They urged the council to enforce the ‘no-parking’ rule between 10pm and 4am which has been in trial in the area since last August with a $309 fine handed out to those who breach it.
‘Come on council get some teeth and get serious about this camping illegally business,’ the wrote.
A local has taken to Facebook to complain about this station wagon left parked overnight taking up two public spaces
‘This was not the only one overnight camping in the area and clearly not homeless.’
Another agreed it was ‘bloody frustrating’ that reversed-in camper vans were taking up the majority of parking spots at national parks.
However, a number of people asked how the original poster could be so sure the person parked in Woods Bay was not homeless because that had become so common.
‘It is so sad. Ten years ago and everything was fine, but now people seem (to be) chasing campers all the time,’ one person wrote.
‘God forbid someone camps in their car for free,’ another commented.
Noosa Shire Council’s Director of Development and Regulation Richard MacGillivray told Yahoo News the parking ban was to stop drivers from camping overnight after receiving 84 complaints this year.
‘Parking officers, along with assistance from Queensland Police Service, continue to deal with those who flout the parking and camping laws with patrols conducted several times a day — including early morning and into the evening, and offenders are issued with fines,’ he said.
However with the housing crisis forcing many Aussies to live out of their car those already vulnerable could now face fines, and have even more limited options when it comes to where they can sleep.
When the overnight parking trial in Noosa Woods was announced last year the mayor Clare Stewart assured the public that council rangers would be able to offer assistance to those who need support finding housing, and that was reassured again by Mr MacGillivray.
TikTok user gingergradient posted images of parking inspectors apparently cracking down on vans sitting in public spaces
‘People in genuine need due to rental and housing issues, who may be living in cars, are not the target of Council’s illegal camping enforcement efforts.
‘Council’s Local Laws Officers are trained to recognise people in genuine need and assist with referrals to services that may be able to support them to find accommodation.’
A video posted last year by TikToker gingergradient showed Perth parking inspectors fining vans that had stayed out of hours at various parking lots while a melancholy version of Men At Work’s Down Under played as the soundtrack.
‘Councils and the govt want to play games with peoples lives,’ the user wrote in the video caption.
‘With no affordable housing solutions and homelessness on the rise.. more and more people are being forced into cars and vans trying to make the best of a horrific situation.
‘Housing minister, if councils are pushing people out, you’re doing nothing about it and have no housing… what’s the solution?’
Gingergradient called for ‘hostility to end’.
‘I’ve watched security and rangers try to open peoples vehicles whilst they believe no one’s watching, only target people in vans or cars with sleeping gear and behave aggressively towards them.
‘I’ve seen women being cornered by rangers after showering and the rangers not allowing the woman to dress before making her stand and talk to 3 of them.. all men of course.. and much more.
‘Sickened to my core by what’s happening here in Perth and around . When people need compassion and understanding we are seeing the worse epidemic of entitlement. We will not be silent and stand by.’
People in the comments overwhelmingly agreed.
‘We went from the best country in the world to the land of surveillance and tyranny,’ one wrote.
‘I work in mental health & the amount of at risk homeless is disgraceful,’ another said.
‘The govt should be ashamed. We definitely need to stand up &make them listen!’
However, there were a few dissenters.
‘There are lots of free camping places scattered around ,’ one comment read.