'HOMELESS PERSONS UNION' IN MELBOURNE PROTESTING THE PROPOSED BY-LAWS.
Please take the time to sign this petition protesting the introduction of by-laws which would make it illegal for homeless persons to sleep in public spaces in the CBD.!!!
https://www.change.org/p/
This is an attack on the civil liberties of homeless people and should be resisted quickly and robustly.
If we turn a blind eye - the systemic abuse of vulnerable people gets worse...
Do we really want to follow the example of cities in the US that have switched off the water supply in public fountains denying homeless people running water as a deterrent?
Or erect spikes on park benches as has been done in the UK?
Do we want to follow the example of Houston Texas by making it illegal ( to follow one's conscience basically ) to bring food and comfort to homeless people without permission?
Are the by-laws proposed by Melbourne City Council even lawful under the Human Rights Charter?
Can someone shed light on this question for us?
Email Friends of Public Housing Vic- housing.humanrights@gmail.com
Thank-you.
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Two Extracts from the article linked below on Houston Texas.
'The ordinance requires applicants to fill out a form and seek permission to feed someone while on someone else’s private property. If you would like to feed someone in a public park you must fill out another form.'
'In late November, ABC13 reported that activists delivered 75,000 signed petitions to City Hall calling for the repeal of the ordinance.' WELL DONE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON!
I wonder how many people realise just how bad the epidemic of homelessness can become? When you look at other countries, maybe we ain't seen nothing yet in Australia...
Please help us by joining the campaign for a strong and well managed Public Housing sector- and an end to homelessness.
Sources
U.S. Cities Criminalize Homelessness, Violate Human Rights Agreements.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/07/20/anti-homeless-spikes-london-bed_n_7831008.html
http://theantimedia.org/houston-police-throw-away-food-homeless/
Pat Chiappalone - Homeless Persons Union.
ReplyDeleteThe H.P.U has been banging on about this issue for months.The public housing exists but the properties have been mismanaged, concealed and in some cases allowed to become derelict and fall into disrepair and demolished rather than being seen as a resource to meet a social need. Residential properties payed for with tax payer dollars are viewed as state owned assets. When we were in the supreme court the prosecuting state barrister described the publicly owned residential assets as 'surplus housing'? How can there possibly be a surplus of houses when there are thousands without a secure roof over there head or access to public amenities?
Surplus housing !? WTF? These publicly owned properties are considered by the govt to be 'surplus' housing - as if we have more than enough housing to meet the need and even some left over. lol. Empty properties should be fixed if necessary and immediately made available for people in need. The Vic Andrews government has a Duty of Care to do so.Read our post regarding the stats for empty Public Housing across Australia. Fiona
ReplyDeleteErnest- Im a member of Friends of Public Housing due to the growing homelessness problem. Very soon I will be putting my story up on the blog discussing the issues of how people are being treated in Victoria, Melbourne especially.I'm an Australian who has come here as a former refugee.The issue of homelessness is not being handled with a problem solving attitude. Instead the government is increasing the growing number of homelessness on our streets by misinforming Victorians in public housing and
ReplyDeleteremoving them from their present residences or dwellings and putting them at risk of housing instability and I believe possible homelessness.I forsee that in the next few years there will be no more public housing and all these places will be filled by foreign property investors.That will escalate the number of homeless people on the street.