NSW Premier Chris Minns (right) and Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr at an earlier meeting. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
The NSW Government has brought together an emergency working group following the heartbreaking death of a newborn baby in a Wagga Wagga homeless encampment.
A meeting was convened on Thursday between the NSW Government and Wagga Wagga Council to discuss homelessness in the city, particularly rough sleeping camps in Wilks Park and along the Murrumbidgee River.
An agreement was reached to bring together a cross-agency group to support rough sleepers into more permanent forms of housing.
The meeting came after an Aboriginal woman, who had been living rough for several months, gave birth to twins on Saturday in a tent near the Murrumbidgee River and close to Wagga’s CBD.
One baby died and the other was first rushed to Wagga hospital before being airlifted to Sydney. The mother was also taken to hospital.
Wagga Council and the NSW Government pointed the finger of blame at each other earlier this week, but have now come together to work on solutions.
Wagga Mayor Dallas Tout said the meeting “allowed us to move beyond blame and towards a positive, proactive response”.
“Discussions acknowledged the need for a joint government response to the situation which provides both support and safety,” the Mayor said.
‘Work is now underway across multiple agencies to prepare and deliver this action.”
Homes NSW, local homelessness service providers, NSW Police, and City of Wagga Wagga Council will work in partnership to escalate ongoing work to address homelessness in the city.
Housing Minister Rose Jackson will visit Wagga in coming weeks as part of the initiative.
The planned approach will mirror models used to address homelessness encampments on the Central Coast. The priority is to ensure that all rough sleepers are not only moved on, but moved into safer, stable housing.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said homelessness was one of the most challenging issues faced by government and required a coordinated approach grounded in compassion and an understanding of individual complexity.
“This has been heartbreaking news,” he said. “Every person experiencing homelessness deserves safety and support, and the loss of a newborn child is devastating.
“Yesterday, I met with Wagga Mayor Dallas Tout, the general manager and the Minister for Homelessness Rose Jackson, to talk about the way forward.
“It was a productive meeting that allowed us to come up with an immediate plan to support those people currently camping at Wilks Park and along the Murrumbidgee.”
Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said the government’s thoughts were with the parents and their surviving newborn twin, who remains in hospital care.
“This tragic death is a timely reminder that we must all double our efforts to look after the most vulnerable among us,” she said.
“I want to acknowledge the work of Homes NSW staff and the local services providers in Wagga Wagga, who work tirelessly to make sure everyone who seeks support can access it.
“We thank the City of Wagga Wagga Council and NSW Police for partnering with us to address this challenge.”
Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr welcomed the establishment of the emergency working group and thanked the Premier and the Minister for Housing for their “swift action”.
“It’s crucial that we take a cross-agency approach to support rough sleepers to find more suitable accommodation,” he said.
