Queensland woman Tamika Jamieson lives in fear of being moved on \u2026 again.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve taken all my stuff, all my belongings, everything off me five times,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
The City of Moreton Bay made national headlines last year<\/a> when it unlawfully dismantled a tent city in Lawnton, north of Brisbane. In a landmark human rights case, the Queensland supreme court ruled the council broke the law partly because it did not treat its most vulnerable residents as \u201chuman\u201d.<\/p>\n But residents of the dozens-strong population of Moreton Bays\u2019 largest tent city believe the time will come when the council will act again.<\/p>\n As homelessness surges in Australia, councils have been thrust to the frontline of managing the crisis. Many are abandoning their welfare first approach, instead choosing to disband camps, send eviction notices to people living in caravan parks and in some cases, considering fines for sleeping on footpaths.<\/p>\n Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email<\/a><\/p>\n Last April, Moreton Bay council was among the first in the country to forcibly clear a tent encampment. It has also threatened $8,006 fines for sleeping in a car, storing items or having a pet while homeless. Hundreds still sleep rough every night.<\/p>\n Moreton\u2019s new tent city is much more public than the old one. Placed directly adjacent to two homeless services, including a brand-new council-funded homeless \u201chub\u201d, it\u2019s drawn attention due to its proximity to the Redcliffe Tennis and Pickleball Centre<\/a>.<\/p>\n The founder of Nourish Street, Beau Haywood, was once homeless himself, but now runs the local homeless service. Many of the residents had moved to the area after being moved on, he said.<\/p>\n Nourish Street founder Beau Haywood. Photograph: Andrew Messenger\/The Guardian<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve come to where they can be close to services and who can blame them?\u201d<\/p>\n He said the location was controversial, both because children use the neighbouring tennis court, and because it\u2019s been a mess. He now pays for two large skip bins for the camp, though initially had problems getting council approval for them.<\/p>\n \u201cIt does give them the dignity. To me it\u2019s all about harm reduction,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Jessica moved to the park seven weeks ago. She has two tents, one for sleeping, the other for her two primary school age autistic children to do homework.<\/p>\n Becoming homeless for the first time was a terrifying experience, she said. The are neighbours with all sorts, drug addicts and sober people, a grandmother, also newly homeless, who helps take care of the camp \u2013 and a convicted murderer who spent decades in prison.<\/p>\n But being moved on wouldn\u2019t make things any better.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere are we going to go? I mean I get it, we\u2019re an eyesore here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The placement of the tents has drawn ire. Photograph: Andrew Messenger\/The Guardian<\/p>\n Across Australia, communities are divided.<\/p>\n At a passionate council meeting in Melbourne\u2019s Port Phillip earlier this month, the LGA St Kilda beach sits in, locals debated new laws that give council workers the ability to confiscate the belongings of rough sleepers.<\/p>\n Some residents, such as Penny Essing from Elwood, in Melbourne\u2019s south east, who has pushed for disbanding the camp, begged councillors to \u201crestore safety in our streets, and protect the truly vulnerable and not enable rough sleeping\u201d. Essing, like others, argued that allowing the encampments threatened people\u2019s safety and wellbeing, while dominating public spaces.<\/p>\n One homeless person, Queenie, who lives in St Kilda, said they had already had their tent confiscated by council workers.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not fair to have our stuff taken, which has happened to me,\u201d Queenie said. \u201cI\u2019ve had a tent stolen from me. A tent that kept me safe last winter, when the winds were so cold I was still shivering inside my tent. It\u2019s not fair, it\u2019s not humane.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n Port Phillip has been a melting pot of debate on how to handle homelessness. Last year, the council moved to fine people for sleeping on the footpaths. The plan was eventually scrapped after concerns were raised that the laws might not meet human rights legislation.<\/p>\n