Statement in relation to Council Report
Published 27 August 2025
Statement in relation to Council Report – Financial implications associated with Council’s response to persons experiencing homelessness.
City of Moreton Bay today revealed Council has spent more than $6 million in direct funding over 2024/25 in response to homelessness matters and supporting people experiencing homelessness.
The support includes $3.7 million in capital funding for the Peninsula Support Hub in addition to a further $3 million from the State Government, now home to The Breakfast Club and The Salvation Army, as well as $1,434,465 spent on practical responses to workplace and public health and safety and amenity issues associated with homelessness and $1,230,092 for Council staff who support people experiencing homelessness. Council's response to homelessness continues to escalate at an unsustainable rate.
Whilst recognising that funding for, and delivery of social housing, crisis housing and homelessness services remain the responsibilities of the state and federal governments, Council understands that its numerous touchpoints with communities provides it with a unique capacity to support and facilitate initiatives that address homelessness in the City.
City of Moreton Bay is committed to helping end homelessness and has done more than most other Councils in Queensland to support those sleeping rough. We’re pulling all the levers available to us, including a record of strong advocacy with other levels of Government, to combat the impact of the national housing crisis locally.
Everyone deserves a safe and secure home, and no-one should be sleeping in parks. Public land is not intended for camping. People camping on public land are doing so unlawfully, so it is misguided to suggest Council spend ratepayers’ money on bins and toilets to encourage an unlawful activity to continue.
City of Moreton Bay has overwhelming community support for ensuring our local laws are abided by. Council’s compliance of people experiencing homelessness is in response to community complaints.
The $1,230,092 is for Council Public Service Liaison Officers who actively engage with individual people experiencing homelessness and facilitate connection between individuals and services to find accommodation and wrap around housing and health support. Funding for rangers who ensure compliance with all Council’s local laws has also been noted as some of our Rangers have specialised in the PEH local law to ensure a consistent approach and connection with people they are engaging with.
Council recorded 226 near miss of assault or injury incidents involving people experiencing homelessness in FY24/25. City of Moreton Bay has zero tolerance for occupational violence and aggression towards its employees and the broader community. We have a legal obligation to keep our community safe on public land. Incidents are increasing in frequency, and the level of violence over the past two years has escalated and continues to pose critical public safety risks.
As recently as this weekend (Saturday 23 August), a violent attack at a public park in Redcliffe occurred where a person experiencing homelessness attacked an elderly gentleman with a metal pole who was getting changed in a public bathroom after a swim. Both QPS and QAS were called. A safety risk like this in a public area, witnessed by children, is unacceptable.
The $1,434,465 in ratepayer dollars has been used to ensure workplace safety, public health and safety as well as the remediation of Gayundah Coastal Arboretum, that included removal of some ground surface area and associated waste items; ground maintenance and sanitation; and restoration of remnant vegetation. This remediation of a public space has taken over 6 months and left the site unusable while this has been happening.
The use of Council funds for these purposes has not been taken lightly and was escalated by a cease work notice (acted on when there is a risk of serious injury or a fatality) that was implemented in December 2024. This was as a result of one of the most serious incidents in the carpark of Ted Smout Bridge where a team member was physically threatened to be killed by PEH residing in the park. The cease work notice was received by Council from the elected Health and Safety Representative under s85(1) of the Workplace Health and Safety Act, directed staff to cease conducting any maintenance within a 50m radius (in any direction) of a person experiencing homelessness. The cease work notice was withdrawn in the middle of January however there are still controls for staff safely working in and around PEH that include an exclusion zone based on risk.
General Meeting - 27 August 2025