The number of people sleeping rough or in their cars right now, including children, is truly heartbreaking.
Council’s dedicated public space officers work really hard to link homeless people with the assistance and services they need and have a history of achieving great outcomes.
However, the situation right now is nothing short of a crisis.
Our officers are being regularly told by the incredible people who operate community support organisations that there’s simply no place to put people. It’s a full house.
Yet at the same time, there are 500 beds sitting idle at the brand-new, taxpayer-funded quarantine facility at Pinkenba.
This facility was built for a crisis. Well guess what? We have a crisis and I believe this facility needs to be put to use right now.
Crisis accommodation is a State responsibility and opening Pinkenba needs to be a State-led activation.
Our Council still has $1 million on the table to help with whatever improvements might be necessary to help temporarily convert the facility for use as crisis accommodation.
There’s no quick fix to this crisis but we all need to continue working together to help homeless people find a home.