The Queensland Government, acting through the Department of Housing and Public Works, is the lead agency responsible for reducing homelessness in Queensland. The Department of Housing and Public Works provides public housing and funding to housing and homelessness service providers. Visit Queensland Government website for more information.
Department of Housing and Public Works and service providers ensure that people experiencing homelessness in the Moreton Bay Region have access to the support services that they need.
Council can make referrals to these authorities when cases of homelessness are identified in the community. Council respects the privacy of people experiencing homelessness and their right to access public amenities and participate in public activities, and will only engage with a person if:
- They appear to be distressed or in need of assistance
- Their personal possessions limit access to or affect the use of public amenities or
- They are not complying with a relevant law or regulation.
Every individual’s unique circumstance is taken into careful consideration before a referral is made.
How Council responds to the issue
When Council receive a report of camping (tent, caravan or car) or suspected homelessness on public land, our Local Laws Officers visit the site and engage with the individuals.
In cases of one-off overnight stays, Officers will remind people of the Local Laws and kindly request them to move on.
If the person states they are homeless, Council Officers will link them with Specialist Homelessness Services. These services provide outreach support with the aim of assisting the person to find suitable and sustainable accommodation. This is a long-term resolution to the issue.
Council continue to engage with individuals and remind them of their community obligations, being:
- Keep the area tidy
- Remove rubbish
- Respect public areas
- Put down tents every morning
If the person does not identify as homeless, Council does not have the power to remove people from the land. However, Council can issue compliance and/or infringement notices should a person fail to comply with an officer’s request to leave the local government controlled land.