An Aussie council is so concerned about homeless people, it is hiring private security guards to protect its garbage collectors from violent attacks while picking up local bins.
The City of Moreton Bay in South-East Queensland, north of Brisbane has revealed it has employed a private security firm to protect workers cleaning up areas near the region’s booming homeless camps.
In a statement released on Monday the council said the guards would escort staff following an increase in violence and ‘life-threatening situations’.
The implementation of security comes after reports of toilets not being cleaned for more than a week and overflowing rubbish bins.
The council said the number of complaints regarding People Experiencing Homelessness (PEH) and illegal camping has doubled in the last year.
‘As a result of ongoing interactions involving some People Experiencing Homelessness and some people who are camping illegally, all Operations and Safety staff have been instructed to remain 50 metres away from PEH and illegal camp sites in public spaces,’ the council said.
‘These interactions include escalating violence, aggression and life-threatening situations towards Council staff and members of the public.
‘This has resulted in some delays in regular servicing of bins and amenities in public spaces.
The council said it has zero tolerance on aggression and violence towards its employees and the new measure ‘complies with a recent Workplace Health and Safety Queensland order’.
‘To address the safety challenges of the service, from 30 December 2024, security will accompany Council staff to service public spaces where it is possible and safe to do so,’ the council said.
Founder of community initiative Nourish Street Beau Haywood told the Courier Mail he doesn’t understand why the council has hired a security detail.
‘It might be a way of potentially stopping any sort of safety issues that they might perceive, but you know I am yet to see anyone be abused or mistreated from anyone homeless,’ Mr Haywood said.
The council’s move comes as new legislation was passed last month banning homeless people form owning pets.
City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said the council was taking action on homeless people camping in public areas after he received ‘hundreds’ of complaints from locals.
He said the sharp increase in the number of homeless people in the council area had resulted in a steep decline in public health, safety and amenity.
The council estimates there are currently around 200 homeless people in its district, with approximately 30 dogs owned by them.
A council spokesman claimed the number had grown by 90 per cent in the last 10 years.
‘In the last two years there has been a 250 per cent increase in referrals to council of people sleeping rough,’ the spokesman told the Courier Mail.
Mayor Flannery insisted it was not safe for homeless people to own dogs.
‘Concerns for public safety are mounting in some council parks and we have received hundreds of calls from residents and visitors citing serious concerns,’ he said in a statement.
He said the council had been ‘lenient’ in the past with homeless on the issue.
A City of Moreton City Bay spokesman reiterated the Mayor’s claim that keeping animals in public spaces was unsafe and violated local laws.
‘This is consistent with our local laws for all members of our community,’ they added. ‘All animals in public spaces must be kept under effective control at all times.’
The new rules completely ban the homeless from owning dogs and also include new guidelines around ‘public space camping in caravans, camper trailers and other vehicles equipped for the purposes of camping’, the spokesperson added.