NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said that the amount of homeless people in Sydney‘s Martin Place make her feel “completely uncomfortable” and has called for Lord Mayor Clover Moore to “move them on”.
Gladys Berejiklian on homeless people in Martin Place:”I call on Clover Moore to get rid of that tent city- it should not be there!” #nswpol
— Sarah Gerathy (@sarahgerathy) August 1, 2017
The Premier’s wildly on-the-nose comments come as state ministers criticise Moore’s handling of people sleeping rough in the city’s CBD.
Family and Community Services minister, Pru Goward, said that Moore and the City of Sydney team are not doing enough to help, and that the people residing in Martin Place are a “public safety issue.”
I have been down there and seen first-hand the public safety concerns in Martin Place which the Council has not addressed #nswpol
— Pru Goward (@PruGoward) August 1, 2017
Knives, BBQ, gas bottles, boiling water, unauthorised tent structures, bookshelves and a piano, impeding pedestrian access #nswpol
— Pru Goward (@PruGoward) August 1, 2017
Other notable people – you know, ones that could use their influence for positive change – have contributed to the conversation about displaced people in Martin Place, calling the collection of tents toward Castlereagh St an “eyesore”.
https://twitter.com/AlanJones/status/892154833741819904
Clover Moore released a statement in response to the criticism, saying that the council are doing everything in their power to address the issue of homelessness in Sydney, and have suggested that the state government could open up the Sirius Building for immediate housing (as it is currently empty), support the funding for a proposed second Common Ground development in the city, which would provide 150 people with accommodation, and allow the city council to extend the affordable housing levy.
The City council also confirmed that they will be committing $6.6 million on homelessness services across Sydney, which includes $3.5million for Family and Community Services’ work with the group of people sleeping rough in Martin Place.
Oh, I’m sorry, people that have been forced out of their homes because of the ridiculous housing market – among other things – has made them become nothing more than a “public safety issue.”
Righto.
