Homeless people staying at Victory Memorial Gardens has sparked debate on whether and where they should be relocated. Photo: Chris Roe.
The Mayor of Wagga says it is an offence for homeless people to stay overnight at Victory Memorial Gardens and has revealed some rough sleepers in the city have been offered alternative accommodation but have declined it.
Cr Dallas Tout made the comments in a letter responding to Wagga Residents and Ratepayers Association president Chris Roche, who recently wrote an open letter to all three levels of government calling for urgent action on the city’s growing homelessness crisis.
“Recent incidents involving the destruction of belongings at rough sleeping sites have highlighted the vulnerability of people experiencing homelessness,” Mr Roche wrote.
“Mobile phones, identification documents, medications and personal possessions are often all that people have. Losing these essentials further disconnects people from housing, healthcare, Centrelink, employment and support services.”
Mr Roche was referring to a recent incident in which council sprinklers at Victory Memorial Gardens drenched two homeless people and their belongings.
Council said the sprinklers were operating on a timer system. Mr Roche noted the sprinklers activated multiple times at the exact location where the pair’s tent had been pitched.
In his response, Cr Tout said Victory Memorial Gardens was “not a rough sleeping site”.
“Indeed, it is an offence to stay overnight at this location,” he wrote.
“This is a memorial park used by a large number of people in our community.”
Wagga Wagga City Council Mayor Dallas Tout says he is working to address the town’s homelessness crisis. Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
The mayor said the council had been working with the NSW Government, Homes NSW, police, charities and health organisations to respond to the homelessness crisis. He said outreach services and accommodation offers had increased following meetings with state ministers and Premier Chris Minns.
“Some have taken up the offer of accommodation. Others have not,” Cr Tout wrote.
He added that council did not intend to provide additional facilities at locations chosen by rough sleepers while accommodation was being offered elsewhere.
Mr Roche said he accepted that Victory Memorial Gardens was not an appropriate place for people to sleep.
“However, when people are desperate, they go to desperate lengths,” he said.
He said the two people camping there had moved after feeling unsafe at their previous location.
“When council wants them to move on, they need help to do so. How would they move on with all their belongings?” he said.
Mr Roche has questioned what accommodation is being offered and where it is located.
“It’s no use giving them places in Temora or Dubbo. That’s a long way from their community and support circles.”
The ratepayers president also called on council to explore extended or even 24-hour access for public toilets and hygiene facilities, which are generally locked overnight.
“They won’t do a shit on the slide at the beach if they can access a public toilet,” Mr Roche said.
“It’s a human right to have these facilities.”
Cr Tout’s response letter did not specifically address that proposal.
Mr Roche also called on council to work collaboratively with community organisations and government agencies to develop compassionate responses to rough sleeping and to identify and penalise landholders for having vacant housing.
He also said the NSW Government needed to establish an immediate winter response for people sleeping rough, such as an RFS Base Camp.
