Council rangers accused of 'dumping' homeless people at Brisbane park
Several local leaders have commented on the 'unacceptable' actions seen at Brisbane's Musgrave Park.
A Queensland council is being accused of relocating a number of homeless people to a tent city in neighbouring Brisbane City.
In a video provided to The Courier Mail, a uniformed Logan City Council officer is seen dropping them and their belongings off at Musgrave Park in South Brisbane on Sunday.
"Just dumping like they are nothing," a person on The Courier Mail's Facebook post commented.
A council spokesman confirmed to Yahoo News the people had "spent the previous night in a City of Logan Park" to then be driven to the City of Gold Coast area.
"Last Sunday, a Council officer was trying to be understanding of the requests from some people who had spent the previous night in a City of Logan Park," he said in a statement.
"What happened next was not standard practice, deviated from usual Council protocols and was a one-off occurrence.
"Steps have now been taken to ensure Council’s procedures are always followed."
Actions deemed 'unacceptable' by local leaders
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner thought the actions highlighted how dire "the current homelessness scourge" is and how further measures need to be enacted.
“It demonstrates the extent of the current homelessness scourge and shows yet again why the State and Federal governments must stop making excuses and open the idle Pinkenba quarantine facility as crisis accommodation,” he told the Courier Mail.
While the Queensland Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch also said "people experiencing homelessness should not be shunted from one council area to another".
“If this is an accurate report, it is completely unacceptable," she told the publication.
Increase of homeless people at Musgrave Park
This is not the first time Musgrave Park is at the centre of a homelessness scandal, given that it's a popular spot for rough sleepers who set up their tents at the location.
However workers on the ground told Yahoo News they noticed an uptick in the number of homeless people staying in the park in recent months, with the latest report by Anglicare saying Queensland renters are facing the worst conditions in over a decade.
Local resident, Rhianon spends time volunteering to feed homeless people at the park, saying “Logan City Council needs to step up and support their homeless people”.
“Homeless people aren’t unwanted pets that you drop off somewhere to be rehomed... they are human beings with connections to their community, who need to be supported and treated with dignity and care,” she told the Courier Mail.
Video shows dire Aussie problem: 'I'll be joining them soon'
Young family forced to live in tent as Australia's rental crisis explodes
A spokesperson from Logan City Council said they are "always compassionate for people experiencing difficult circumstances in [the] community".
"When people are found to be sleeping overnight in parks in the City of Logan, Logan City Council endeavours to connect them with government agencies, local charities and other organisations that can offer support.
"Council is always compassionate for people experiencing difficult circumstances in our community."
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
