A riverside campsite occupied by rough sleepers has been cleared out by council, as the housing crisis continues to strangle towns and cities across the country.
Earlier this month, people camping out at Wilks Park in Wagga Wagga, NSW were issued move-out notices, with campers given two weeks to make alternative arrangements.
Now, people experiencing homelessness who’ve been staying in tents along the nearby Murrumbidgee River have been targeted by Wagga Wagga Council.
The move-on orders were prompted by the death of an infant at the riverside camp after a woman gave birth to twins in a tent in May. The tragedy triggered a major push from the community to address the city’s homeless crisis.
Those staying at the riverside campsite were given until July 21 to relocate, but many say they have nowhere else to go.
Crisis accommodation offered, no fines handed out
Council staff have been removing “abandoned campsites” throughout the region, including at Wilks Park and along the river.
It’s understood campers have all been offered crisis accommodation. Council staff are also working to secure permanent homes for people who are willing to complete the paperwork.
Wagga Wagga Council has the power to issue fines to those who fail to move on. 7News reported the fines can be up to $1,000. It’s understood that no fines have been handed out.
“While Council has powers available for compliance action, a decision on when these powers will be exercised has not yet been made,” Council said in a statement to Yahoo.
“An individual genuinely engaging with support services with a view to being housed in accommodation is unlikely to be the subject of compliance action while those accommodation arrangements are being discussed.”
Do you have a cost-of-living story? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com
Wilks Park in Wagga Wagga (pictured) also became home to a number of homeless people, who’ve since been moved on.
(ABC Riverina)
Community advocate Angelo Tseros said it was devastating to watch abandoned tent be cleared out.
“I am just witnessing something that somebody called home be discarded and thrown into rubbish, it’s all they had, and now it’s gone,” she previously told 7News as people were moved on earlier this month.
RELATED:
Homeless crisis worsens as councils tackle the issue
Similar scenes are taking place across the country.
Rough sleepers occupying space at a popular free campground at Lake Wallace near Lithgow, NSW, have also been issued a move-on notice.
Lithgow City Council told Yahoo News the camping ground is increasingly being used by people experiencing homelessness.
Elsewhere, a family of five with nowhere else to go were among hundreds of homeless people living at a makeshift campsite along a Perth road dubbed the city’s “street of despair”.
They, like everybody else, were also told to find somewhere else to go by the council.
Rising housing costs, shortages of affordable rentals, and growing numbers of transient or seasonal workers have forced individuals and families to live in cars, caravans and even tents.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube.