Video shows dire Aussie problem: 'I'll be joining them soon'
An emerging tent city in Brisbane is growing as Australia's housing crisis worsens.
A heartbreaking sight at an inner-city park has highlighted the growing problem Australians face when it comes to housing affordability.
The viral video captured by a local resident shows several tents owned by those sleeping rough at Musgrave Park in South Brisbane, with the caption 'rental crisis'.
While long been a popular spot for rough sleepers, workers on the ground told Yahoo they had 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.
“From the 2,859 rental properties available [in Metropolitan Brisbane], only 9 were affordable and appropriate for households on income support and only 82 were affordable and appropriate for those on minimum wage,” Anglicare Southern Queensland’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sue Cooke said on Friday in a statement.
“Unfortunately, these figures add to countless other reports in recent weeks highlighting the tragic state of the housing market and the cost of living crisis."
“In an already tight market, it is the most vulnerable in our community who are the most severely impacted. How low do these figures need to go until the government takes serious action?".
It it believed the number of homeless Queenslanders has grown by 22 per cent in the last five years, which is almost triple the increase nationally, according to a recent report by Queensland Council of Social Services (QCOSS) and The Town of Nowhere campaign.
Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne are the country's worst locations for housing affordability.
Locals shocked over sight at Musgrave Park
Many residents are heartbroken after noticing the increasing amount of homeless people at the Brisbane park, as well as at other sites.
"I used to live across the road three years ago and it's only become like this the past six months. Housing crisis is real!" one person said.
"This hurts my heart," another said. "It's cold here already. Every human should have roofs over their heads".
"Down the front of the river in West End near Kurilpa Bridge has got growing numbers of tents as well," a third person said.
Some also lamented about their own prospects in the current housing state. "I’ll be with them as well soon, I’m up the road and my rent is going from 640 to 900 p/w," one person declared.
Heartbroken father and son forced into tent in city park
In March, a teenage boy shared the heartbreak of he and his dad having to live in a tent in a Brisbane park during the escalating housing crisis.
Kailaeb Vescio-Stanley, 17, told Sunrise he's been struggling to sleep in the park, where he had been for two weeks — but rising rents and housing shortages means he has no other choice.
"Some nights I don't get enough sleep, and some nights I can," he told Sunrise host David Koch. "I see a lot of people doing it rough, and the majority of the people I see doing it rough in parks are actually teenagers."
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Residents and non-for-profits are helping to support homeless people at places like Musgrave Park, with Trina Massey, a Councillor candidate for the ward of The Gabba, sharing what she and a few others did in April.
"We helped distribute in Musgrave Park and packed up about 50 meals that where delivered to the riverfront," Ms Massey said on Facebook.
"There are approximately 20,000 homes currently left vacant across Brisbane city. These homes should not be left vacant for commercial speculation because .... people need homes.
"If you'd like to help, you can drop off food, meals, vouchers, socks and hygiene products to West End Community House (Norfolk St) and pantry items to Hope Street Cafe (Boundary St)."
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