AT LEAST seven homeless men are living in tents in bush land areas across Redland City.
The spotlight was turned onto local homelessness last Wednesday when Redland City Council officers, accompanied by police, requested a man leave bush land in Alexandra Hills where he had been living for an unknown length of time.
Nigel Fish, who is in his seventies, said he had been homeless for about a year and did not know where he would go.
The Vietnam veteran and former ambulance officer of 20 years said he suffered from depression and doubted whether anyone could help him. He did not want to go to support services far from the Redlands.
Alix Russo, who runs the organisation Night Ninjas, which assists homeless people, said she had tried to help Mr Fish, who was one of seven homeless men she knew of who were living in local bush land areas.
Ms Russo said there was a lack of support services for people like Mr Fish and others who were homeless.
“These people need our love too,” she said.
“Yes, some have got addiction problems, or have come out of jail, and their families don’t want anything to do with them, but they are still human beings.
“What are we in the Redlands doing to help these people?”
Ms Russo said she had assisted about 180 families, couples and individuals since she started Night Ninjas about a year ago.
She is currently registering her organisation and hopes to establish a drop-in centre where people who are homeless can sleep during the day, have a shower, get food and undertake activities to stay occupied.
Night Ninjas provides local homeless people with food and “survival packs”, including toiletries, every Monday evening.
However, she said homeless people needed an affordable place where they could camp without being told to move on or be charged with trespassing.
A Redland City Council spokesperson said officers had received a community complaint about someone living in the bush in Squirrel Glider Conservation Reserve.
“Council officers spoke with the person and contacted several social service providers to try and help find alternative accommodation, but after discussion the person chose to board a bus and leave the area on their own,” he said.
The spokesperson said police had been called to assist because the person initially refused to leave.
Swags for Homeless founder Tony Clark said homelessness was rising across Australia and the services available to assist homeless people were disappearing.
“Not enough action is being taken,” he said.
Capalaba MP Don Brown said Capalaba was no exception to the general problem of homelessness.
He said his office regularly fielded calls and assisted people going through a housing crisis.
UPDATE May 16, 2016
A spokesperson for Redland City Council said the council had been working with local service providers to develop proposals to respond to the needs of homeless people.
“In responding to people experiencing homelessness council does not directly deliver services itself,” he said.
“Rather council’s role is in advocacy to state and federal departments and agencies for increased service provision in relation to local need and, at an immediate level, to make referrals to appropriate service providers and community groups when required.
“Council’s campaign and advocacy for homeless services in the Redlands includes the personal commitments of the mayor and CEO to publicising and awareness raising for homeless services through the annual CEO Sleep Out,” he said.
The spokesman said Redland City had some crisis assistance services providers and medium or long-term accommodation for young people, but did not have crisis housing and accommodation services for people who are homeless.
“However, these services can be accessed in Brisbane and Logan,” he said.
The spokesman said a Homeless Hotline provided information about where people can find support, accommodation, meals or showers and can be contacted on 1800 474 753.
