Kingy and his new pup ‘Bluebacca’. Photo: Chris Roe.
Wilks Park camper Kingy says there’s been a flurry of activity among the tents in recent days with a “third wave” of local media checking in as the proposed eviction date nears for rough sleepers in the park.
He says there’s also been an increased presence from the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) but he’s not convinced they can offer much.
“They’re bringing us a bin,” he says dryly, adding another piece of a broken pallet to the fire drum.
“They’ve tried to make it sound magnanimous, but I’m like, f*** man, I’m pretty sure that serves your agenda more than it serves mine.
“Forget the bin, a set of showers would be nice!”
It’s been four weeks since the small community of rough sleepers at Wagga’s Wilks Park was given notice to “remove your vehicles/tents from this reserve before 28 July 2022”.
The public backlash triggered a round of mixed messages and fingerpointing from local and state governments before Wagga City Council confirmed that they “would take no action to move these people on.”
In a statement, Council’s General Manager Peter Thompson reiterated that WWCC has been working closely with the NSW Government, whose responsibility it was to provide “genuine solutions to the people living in Wilks Park who have no alternatives.”
“People in need deserve a whole-of-government response to their care,” he said.
“Council will participate in the process where it has a role.”
In addition to promising to provide a skip for the Wilks Park campers, DCJ has been working closely with the community and has arranged temporary accommodation for some.
There was also a good outcome for prospectors Aaron and Skye Buschmann who originally brought the eviction notice to the public’s attention.
After sleeping rough in the camp for over six months, the couple has secured accommodation and the promise of work in nearby Harden.
Aaron expressed his gratitude in a message to the Wagga community on Facebook.
“Watching what we experienced down wilks park and my wife and I standing side by side with the residents, locals and media has shown me that yes our country faces many hurdles, but together we are ready to fight as proud Australian’s and together we have lead by example to the rest of the country with the housing and homeless crisis,” He wrote.
Aaron and Skye Buschmann have found a new home after sleeping rough for more than six months. Photo: Chris Roe.
But not everyone wants a permanent roof over their heads.
Kingy says, after a life spent in and out of institutions, he prefers the fresh air and freedom of his current lifestyle.
“They put me in the system when I was a kid, then I graduated to be a jailbird,” he says.
“I’m not proud of it. It’s just the way life goes when you go into the foster care system.
“I’m only a bad hair day away from going back inside.”
He says he’s hesitant to share his experiences, describing his life as a “horror story” and a “shining example” of what happens when you’re parented by the system.
“The state was my guardian. They took me off my parents, who they said wasn’t up to par, and then did a worse job than any parent could do exposing me to horrific violence and abuse,” he says.
“So any f****** problems I have with my behaviour reflects on their f****** parenting ability.”
He says he’s content living the way he does and is getting tired of people always looking for ‘solutions’.
“I just don’t really see any reason that I have to rectify my life and live ‘normally’.
“I’m quite happy. My dog is happy and I’m happy.”
DCJ Deputy Secretary James Toomey says this is not an uncommon response.
“There will likely always be some people who have a preference for rough sleeping and the community of the street, which is their community,” he explains.
“They will have a preference for that compared to living in a so-called ‘stable accommodation’ of any type.
“It’s actually quite rare for someone to go from being a rough sleeper to straight into a long-term permanent tenancy.”
He says that they will continue to work with local agencies to provide appropriate help and will seek to reengage people with the support system.
Wagga will host a ‘Homelessness Week Expo’ in August. Photo: Supplied.
DCJ will attend an upcoming Homelessness Week Expo in August that will bring together more than 14 local agencies with the theme ‘To end homelessness we need a plan’.
But in the meantime, Kingy says the campers are getting on with life and supporting each other.
“Here in this camp, if anybody needs anything, me or [fellow camper] Matthew will be the first people to stand up and offer assistance for no personal gain,” he explains.
“And in this community, I can hope that those people will be reciprocating in the way of that helpfulness.”
After his time spent in “Her Majesty’s bed and breakfast”, he says life without four walls and a roof is preferable.
“This is freedom. This is as good as it gets mate, it’s like Kris Kristofferson’s Me and Bobby McGee,” he says with a smile, referencing the classic song about life on the road and its iconic refrain:
Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose.
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