HOMELESS DIVIDE
GOLD Coast city councillors are meeting behind closed doors to tackle homeless headaches but are split on how to balance the impact on commerce with “the human element”.
A “Response to the Homeless” report goes to full council next week when it is understood Mayor Tom Tate will make a statement on the city’s stance.
It comes after revelations a girl, 12, under Child Safety care was released from hospital to return to the streets – and reports up to 100 people are sleeping rough in the CBD.
Councillors are split on the best way forward, according to an insider: “There’s a bit of division. There’s a human element and there’s a public amenity element. People with blankets and trolleys roaming around were seen as not good for business.”
THE Gold Coast does not always glitter. A 12-year-old girl with a shocking back wound under the care of Child Safety walks out of hospital back to the streets of Surfers Paradise. She is given a phone and fed KFC.
A permanent campsite of homeless adults with the city’s best views now fronts the Gold Coast Hwy at the Broadwater Parklands, their trolleys of belongings parked by the pandanus trees.
From the perspective of our city’s civic and tourism leaders, these are not exactly postcard images for visitors to take back home.
What is happening here? Well, COVID-19 will add to it. What really needs to happen next?
Councillors at a meeting will debate what is the local government’s role.
Are they serious about playing their part in a more “holistic approach” and joining other agencies? Or what about just moving these people on and recapturing the images of the 2018 Commonwealth Games?
There is a divide in the room about this. After closed door meetings, Mayor Tom Tate is expected to outline the council’s position on Tuesday.
At a state level, in late March the Palaszczuk Government announced a Housing and Homeless COVID-19 Immediate Response Fund package of almost $25 million.
But new figures provide a real insight, and reading them is like embracing the cold breeze off the Broadwater at dawn.
In April, 45 households received help from the Gold Coast Emergency Housing Assistance Response. Another 38 in May. In total, the funding was $263,185.
By comparison, the emergency funding for Brisbane for those two months totalled more than
$2.5 million. More than 1000 households were helped.
Bonney MP Sam O’Connor, a regular at the soup urn with welfare groups feeding the homeless at Labrador, sought the figures and is furious about the Coast’s handout.
Housing Minister Mick de Brenni, in his response to the MP, assured him that hotel and motel accommodation was also being made available on the Gold Coast as a shortterm measure for at-risk individuals.
The Brisbane region received $12,679, and $40,837 was spent across the Gold Coast.
His department had provided $2.3 million in annual funding to specialist non-government support services. Four Coast operators received more than $300,000, and five groups in Brisbane obtained just more than $500,000.
At parliamentary committee meetings, Mr O’Connor has asked more questions about the money being spent on specialist homeless services.
Finally, he got more answers. Brisbane received $33 million, Townsville $12 million and Cairns $11 million. The Coast is last of these regional areas with $8 million.
“That means we’re only getting 7 per cent of the total amount spent across Queensland – it totals
$114 million – compared to Brisbane which makes up 29 per cent,” he said.
“We need better support on the Coast for homelessness services and a holistic approach to work with some of our city’s most vulnerable people.”
The numbers of those vulnerable will increase as coronavirus takes its economic toll – only they won’t be added up like at the daily health briefings.
Look at the Broadwater view, the bigger picture.
COVID-19 opens a door here, with an opportunity for all agencies to plan how to heal this growing wound.