‘Just let us live in peace’

Park’s residents make plea to Premier for help

DESPERATE for answers about their future, residents of the Kirra Beach park have taken their pleas to state Government.

In a bid to prevent any evictions by Gold Coast City Council, each resident has detailed their desperate situation in letters to both the Premier and Minister for Housing.

The move comes months after a council resolution to terminate the existing residen- tial agreements in the next decade, allowing only short term accommodation for tourists.

Resident Ray Bischoff, who helped organise the 48 individual letters, said many were without hope.

“All the people in the park wrote to present their feelings about being dispensed from the park,” Mr Bischoff said.

“They have nowhere else to go.”

The 67-year-old said many of the elderly residents feared homelessness.

“People have lived here for 25 years, it is affordable living, safe comfortable everyone supported each other, if they get evicted they wont be able to rent anywhere else,” he said.

In one letter a resident detailed the chronic health issues of his wife and their hope to live in the park until they die.

“We feel council is virtually bullying us out of our home,” it read.

“I would hate to think of my home being demolished, I was hoping I would be living here for the rest of my life,” a second letter detailed.

“We just want to live in peace,” said another.

Mr Bischoff said he was positive the letters would help to secure a meeting with the Premier.

“I am certain we will get a response, we have been very active in this,” he said.

Mr Bischoff said he was disappointed in the efforts of local Councillor Gail O’Niell and called on her to visit the park.

Councillor O’Niell, who was the only councillor to vote against the eviction of the residents, said she have been in constant contact with the group.

“I don’t think it is fair to say I haven’t been there, I have met with the committee numerous times and met with individual residents as well, and have written a letter to each of them,” she said.

“The council hasn’t made moves to move anyone at all since the resolution.

“I understand how distraught some of them are, especially the elderly — I have not forgotten them.”

Minister De Brenni said his office will respond to the letters and ensure funding already allocated to affordable housing is in place for residents.