EMPATHETIC POLICY MAKING NOW

PLEASE NOTE: THE 'PROBLEM' IS HOUSING STRESS NOT "HOMELESSNESS"!

FROM THE EXAMINER ... With the number of rough sleepers continuously rising and Homelessness Week 2023 starting on August 7, here is what the council is doing to help those sleeping rough.

According to City of Launceston figures there has been a six-fold increase in the number of service requests relating to homelessness since 2021.

That year the council received 27 requests, in 2022 the annual total was 107, while so far in 2023 it has received 164.

There are about 150 "visible" homeless people according to the council, with countless others sleeping in cars or camping in public spaces from Kings Meadows to Lilydale.

Launceston mayor Matthew Garwood said council employees received calls on a "nearly daily basis" and although willing to help, the organisation was just one of several key players.

"The City of Launceston understands that it's not a frontline crisis department but is eager to play a role alongside existing service providers to do what we can to tackle this challenging and complex social issue," Cr Garwood said.

"It's important to recognise that homelessness isn't the umbrella issue, but the result of many issues and factors faced by our community. [MOSTLY IT IS A MANIFESTATION OF HOUSING STESS AND GOVERNANCE'S FAILURE TO APPROPRIATELY ENSURE THAT THERE IS SAFE AND SECURE HOUSING FOR  ALL WHO SEEK IT]

"Homelessness is a multifaceted social issue which has many drivers, nearly all of which are outside the control of local councils."  [THE ISSUE IS ALL TO DO WITH POOR PLANNING AND THAT FALLS TO LOCAL GOVERNANCE]

Instead, Cr Garwood said the council works as a "facilitator" with organisations like Launceston City Mission, St Vincent de Paul Society, Anglicare Tasmania, CatholicCare Tasmania, the Salvation Army, Shekinah House, Homes Tasmania and Tasmania Police.  [ALL ARE CHARITIES AND IMPORTANTLY THEY ARE NOT ANYTHING LIKE A HOUSING COOPERATIVE AND IT IS NOT THEIR ROLE]

Homeless camp near Macquarrie House. Picture Rod Thompson

Dealing with dignity and respect

In the first instance the council will not move a homeless person on from where they are sleeping, instead doing so as a last resort.  [A WELCOME MINDSET SHIFT IF FACTUAL]

This is in part due to the wide variety of circumstances that lead to somebody being homeless, including some people that are in full-time work yet are unable to find accommodation.  [AGAIN THE ISSUE IS ALL TO DO WITH POOR GOVERNANCE – NATIONAL ... STATE ... LOCAL –DISCONNECTED PLANNING AND THAT FALLS TO LOCAL GOVERNANCE]

These can also include family and domestic violence, mental health issues, substance abuse issues or a sudden change in employment.  [TRUE HOWEVER THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE IS TO DO WITH 'GOVERNANCE' AND LOCALLY TO DO WITH PLANNING/PLACEMAKING]

While not all homeless people should be "tarred with the same negative connotations" the mayor said those that do engage in antisocial behaviour, cause health and safety concerns or obstruct access to infrastructure will be moved on. [TRUE ... AGAIN HOWEVER THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE IS TO  TO DO WITH PLANNING/PLACEMAKING]

Cr Garwood said it came down to showing "dignity and respect".

"The City of Launceston's position is and remains that we will not move people on unless there is a clear need to do so," he said. [A WELCOMED CHANGE IN THINKING]

"Where this is a need for relocation, this process is undertaken with the support of local service providers who generally have established relationships, and are best placed to support a successful transition to alternative arrangements." [HOWEVER LOCAL GOVERNANCE'S FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IS PLANNING AND PLACEMAKING AND ADEQUATE HOUSING FOR ALL MUST BE A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THAT]

In a bid to further support those sleeping rough the council also provides serviced portable toilets and waste management services, and has also extended the opening hours of several public toilet facilities. [TRUE BUT ONLY AFTER BEING HELD TO ACCOUNT FOR NOT DOING SO AND LATE IN THE DAY]

The council also says it is working with the YMCA at Kings Meadows to provide showers and laundry facilities. [NOT ALWAYS WELL PLANNED OR BEST PLACED SADLY]

Many of the service providers the council works with sit on the Homelessness Advisory Committee, which was founded in 2022 and seeks to refine responses as the issue evolves. [SADLY THIS COMMITTEE IN 18 MONTHS HAS MET TO TALK ABOUT WHAT CANNOT BE DONE WITHOUT RESEARCHING WHO IS DOINGB WHAT WHERE AND TOWARDS WHAT OUTCOMES]

One of the committee's key achievements has been the production of Reach Out cards, which include maps and contact information for accommodation, health services and food providers and will be mass-produced soon. [TRUE AND SADLY ON THE STREETS THIS CARD ALREADY IS BEING CALLED THE ... GO AWAY CARD]

The council is also a founding member of the Northern Community Action Group which coordinates on-the-ground responses across the region. [SADLY SUCH COMMITTEES HAVE EARNED THE THE TITLE OF 'TALK-FEST' ... A COMMITTEE THAT MEETS WITH THE OUTCOME BEING THE PROBLEM IS BEYOND IT]

 

EMPATHETIC PLACEMAKING

Victorian council removes permit requirement for some tiny houses, caravans in bid to ease housing crisis

ABC Central Victoria / By Sarah Lawrence. Posted Thu 22 Jun 2023 at 7:09amThursday 22 Jun 2023 at 7:09am, updated Thu 22 Jun 2023 at 8:54amThursday 22 Jun 2023 at 8:54am

IMAGE: woman standing in tiny house kitchen

Kathryn McGoldrick, 66, was homeless before moving into her tiny home.(Supplied: Kathryn McGoldrick)

In a bid to ease the housing shortage, a regional Victorian council will now allow residents to camp or park a caravan or tiny home on wheels on certain properties without a permit.

Key points:

• Mount Alexander Shire is removing permits for caravans, tiny houses and tents on certain properties
• The property must have an existing home for the extra dwelling to be put there
• Advocates say it will be particularly helpful for women facing homelessness
• Councillors from Mount Alexander Shire — which takes in towns including Castlemaine, Maldon and Harcourt — agreed to change the local law on the condition the property already had an existing dwelling.

No time limit has been placed on how long the extra home can stay there, however, Mayor Rosie Annear said it could not become a permanent dwelling.

"The decision came from the community telling us that this would help the housing crisis," she explained.

"We know it won't fix the problem but it's another option for people who are struggling to find a place to live or those who want to change their lifestyle.

"I've lived here my whole life and have never seen the housing crisis so bad. We've never had so much homelessness and rough sleeping.

"A lot of us on the council couldn't live with ourselves if we didn't do something to try to make things better."

Mayor Annear said the new rule did not apply to land where there was no house.

"We're hoping that because there is already a property on the land where a tiny house on wheels, caravan or tent will go, a lot of aspects such as bushfire and flood management, will have been assessed for the housing permit," she said.

IMAGE: Tiny house with light brown wood and grey metal paneling parked in a clearing.

The dwellings must not be permanent and tiny homes must have wheels, the shire says. (Supplied: Aussie Tiny Houses)
Certainty for the future

Castlemaine resident Kathryn Goldrick said she was homeless before moving into her tiny home at the start of the year.

"I had moved 16 times in the past five years and was on the public housing waiting list," she said.

"I was desperate and had some superannuation left over, so I borrowed money as well, and got my tiny home built."

Ms McGoldrick, who now lives in a tiny house on wheels in the backyard of a home, said the move had given her more clarity.

"I'm 66 and want to find a place I can settle and grow old in," she said.

"I applied for a permit under the old laws but there was a two-year endpoint on that and I had no certainty on my future.

"This option will really help with people's mental health and sense of belonging, it's going to be fantastic."

Ms Goldrick said she suspected she may still have been waiting for public housing, if she had not move into her tiny home.

"It's a great community, people care, it's creative and environmentally aware. There's a real sense of working together which I love."

IMAGE: Shannon and Fred inside their tiny house.

Shannon and Fred Schultz inside their Castlemaine tiny home.

(ABC Central Victoria: Larissa Romensky)Providing new options

Fred Schultz, who runs a tiny house business in Castlemaine and helped campaign for the local law change, said he was driven by hearing about how many women were facing homelessness.

"There are people who come to tiny homes for environmental reasons and wanting to reduce their footprint, but others who come to it out of necessity," he said.

"Particularly women looking at retirement who don't have the huge savings to enter the real estate market — but this is a viable option."


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Dhelkaya Health Housing Coordinator Dianne Cox said she anticipated it would also help free up other properties.

"Mount Alexander Shire has a shortage of affordable housing, we're in the top six in Victoria in the cost of private rentals," Ms Cox said.

"A family member might be moving back to the shire, and now people can house others on their property.

"Even if it's 10 caravans or tiny houses on wheels, that's 10 people who won't be looking for a rental or property in the shire."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Alexander_Shire

CLICK HERE: Friends of Mt. Alexander Diggings

https://divisare.com/projects/328586-s-ar-pabellones-museo-marco

Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett backs rethink on Macquarie Point Stadium

 

Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett backs rethink on Macquarie Point Stadium New plans should be developed for a Tasmanian AFL team – one that doesn’t involve building a stadium, former Victorian Premier and footy club president Jeff Kennett says. His thoughts.

David Killick@davidjkillick 2 min readAugust 3, 2023 - 5:00AM ... 48 comments

What Hobart's AFL stadium at Macquarie Point could look like. Images supplied by AFL

The Tasmanian government and the AFL should come up with an alternative plan to building a stadium at Macquarie Point for a locally based Australian rules football team, former Victorian premier and Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett says.

In an opinion piece in Melbourne’s Herald Sun, Mr Kennett said Launceston’s York Park should be considered as the team’s sole team base if the Macquarie Point plan proves impractical.

“I have concluded that the building of the proposed roofed stadium, a condition of Tasmania being awarded their own AFL team, is not a done deal,” he wrote.

“There is a lot of public opposition to the cost of the stadium, the majority cost being borne by Tasmania’s 550,000 population.”

Mr Kennett said the cost of the stadium would be added to state debt and could become “a stone around the necks of Tasmanians for decades”.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - Newswire Photos July 20, 2023: Jeff Kennett arrives at the state funeral of Simon Crean at St Pauls Cathedral in Melbourne. Picture NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

“The AFL and the presidents have a responsibility to grow the game, but that should not be at the cost of a ridiculous financial burden to the people of Tasmania,” Mr Kennett said.

He said that in his opinion it was unlikely that the stadium could be built on time for the budget allocated and under the conditions imposed by the AFL.

“I have no doubt when the decision was made by the AFL Commission and the presidents, everyone was thinking of Tasmania’s contribution to the code over many decades and the desirability of a Tasmanian team, but not the financial cost we were imposing on the Tasmanian public with a roofed stadium that will hold only 23,000 patrons,” he wrote.

“At this stage, it is a stadium or no licence. There should be a Plan B.

“If the stadium does not proceed, I would advocate the Tasmanian team be based in Launceston.”

Roland Browne, spokesman for Our Place, which is promoting an alternative vision for Macquarie Point, said Mr Kennett’s comments go to the heart of the outrage many Tasmanians feel about the proposed stadium.

FIRST LOOK: New designs of what Hobart's new AFL stadium at Macquarie Point could look like. Images supplied by AFL

He backed calls for a rethink about the stadium being a precondition for a team.

“The [government] argument is, no stadium and no team, “ Mr Browne said.

“That may suit Mr Rockliff as he prepares to lose the next election and retire to his farm, claiming he did everything he could to get a Tassie team. But the truth is he hasn’t.

“The stadium is just a kamikaze stunt by a flailing premier.”

A spokesperson for the state government reinforced the position that the state’s AFL and AFLW team licences with the AFL was contingent on the construction of the Macquarie Point stadium.

Tassie needs a new AFL stadium, but let’s rethink where

“You cannot have a Tasmanian AFL team without a new stadium at Macquarie Point- it’s as simple as that,” the spokesperson said.

“The AFL have been clear that we need the stadium to ensure our Tasmanian AFL team is viable for the long term.”

david.killick@news.com.au

Letter from Minister Collins

Please click on the image to enlarge

Please click on the image to enlarge

 

ADVICE ON BEING HOMELESS IN LAUNCESTON

COMMENT: When a committee has sat on their your hands in the dark for 18mths and then produce THIS a brand new 'REACH OUT CARD' ! One has to be thinking that all concerned, collectively, are most probably having a lend of you – the community and all the people in distress because safe secure housing is out of their reach!!

NOT GOOD ENOUGH PEOPLE!

People need safe places to call HOME! The notion that 'homelessness' is not a COUNCILgig is self-serving status quoism. PLUS, it is misguided political and bureaucratic HUMbug! 

More to the point sending out Council staff, and the police, to move people on, one has to ask from where to where? 

The City of Launceston's Council feel under no obligation to attempt an answer. However they now have this 'REACH OUT CARD' you

PLEASE CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

    The decision makers in session

Joe Colbrook July 30 2023 - 3:00pm

The number of people experiencing homelessness in Australia has grown 5.2% in the past five years with women and children, as well as Indigenous Australians, bearing the brunt of the housing crisis.

It has been more than one year since the City of Launceston council formalised its Homelessness Advisory Committee, with councillors noting progress is gradually being made.

The group consists of councillors from Launceston and neighbouring municipalities, council officers and stakeholders including Tasmania Police.

Launceston is not alone in dealing with homelessness, but councillors say work is being done in public and behind the scenes. Picture by Paul Scambler

Documents tabled at the July 27 council meeting provided insight into some of the committee's activities through to May 30.

These included seeking a new venue for the Green Bean Cafe's efforts to feed the city's homeless, however the committee minutes note this has been unsuccessful so far.

Committee chairman councillor Tim Walker told councillors at the July meeting that there had been successes like the initial run of physical information cards that list available support services.

"The proof is always in the pudding with these things," Cr Walker said.

"It has been encouraging to see, for example, the reach out cards that were developed by this council which provide pocket-sized information and can be distributed through a variety of sources.

"One thousand of those were printed and they have actually been distributed so there's more of being printed as we speak."

Cr Walker said the physical cards were important as they led to "equity in communication", rather than taking access to digital communication for granted.

Councillor George Razay, who also sits on the committee, said although homelessness was growing service providers had reported to the committee they were doing what they could to increase their coverage.

Cr Razay also noted there had been a big shift in how the community referred to homelessness.

"I remember last year nobody talked about homelessness, they didn't want to say anything," Cr Razay said.

"Now I see people from the community give us suggestions on how we can help the homeless people."

Councillor Hugh McKenzie noted Launceston was not the only city dealing with homelessness, and although it had taken some "prodding" the council and its partners were working hard to make a "meaningful difference".

Cr Walker said the work was far from over, and several initiatives were in the works to address underlying issues.

"I do trust councillors as well as the broader public realise that this work being done is part of a greater body of work ... creating a Homelessness Action Plan," he said.

"(This) will give Launceston the surety that we are addressing the issues behind the situation."

For reference,Western Australia’s 2020-2030 strategy on homelessness named All Paths Lead to a Home. is good reference albeit that it appears that Launceston Council on its journey seems to see little value in it.

The strategy sets out a ten-year vision for all levels of government, the community sector and the wider community can work together in Western Australia towards ending homelessness.

The adoption of HAP 2021-2024 means that 'governance' in WA can tackle the complex issues of housing and homelessness at a local level more effectively.

In order to achieve the vision that everyone has a safe place to call home, the City of Fremantle will take on roles as outlined in HAP 2021-2024. CLICK HERE FOR MULTIPLE REFERENCES

THIS committee demonstrates UNDERachievement when the need is great. It's been meeting for 18 month and all those suffering from the loss of safe HOME is a REACH OUT CARD telling where to go. Is that all there is?

COMMUNITY CO-OPERATIVE

 HOUSING