Huntly Lions Park camper finds affordable housing, plea continues for others

In August 2022, the City of Greater Bendigo (COGB) issued Lee-Anne and others camping at Huntly Lions Park a notice of change in the park's reservation status which prevented its use as a camping ground.

During the pandemic, the park became a home of last resort for many who had been unable to find rental accommodation due to the worsening affordable housing crisis.

In a meeting in February last year, councilors requested the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (now the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) change the park's status to disallow camping.

MORE NEWS: No rate cap changes, mayor says as councils fret over Comm Games funds

DELWP acted on this request last August, empowering the council to take further enforcement action, including to move the campers on.

Despite giving the campers 14 days to vacate in September 2022, healthy communities and environments director Stacy Williams said council was yet to set a final date for all rough sleepers to leave.

"Our focus is on working with Haven; Home, Safe and the campers to find suitable, long-term accommodation," she said in October last year.

Lee-Anne had sought assistance from Housing Justice, a program of ARC Justice aiming to help renters advocate for their rights.

After notice was given to her and other campers, Lee-Anne was referred to ARC Justice's Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre for legal advice and advocacy.

OTHER STORIES:

Managing lawyer Anna Dorevitch worked with the COGB to ensure the decisions made by council officers were compatible with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act.

This requires public authorities, including local governments, to consider the effect of their decisions on the human rights of the people who might be impacted.

"People working in government agencies must always keep in mind just because they have the power to do something, doesn't mean that they should," Ms Dorevitch said.

"Our client was doing everything she could; she was engaged with Haven; Home, Safe and when she was placed in a hopeless situation and faced with the prospect of soon sleeping on the streets, she sought our help.

"In this situation, we worked closely with the council, and Haven; Home, Safe to allow our client to remain at the park until she had a home to go to."

ARC Justice said council clearly understood its charter obligations to protect Lee-Anne's human rights and said it hopes the COGB will protect the human rights of all other campers when determining its next steps.

Digital subscribers now have the convenience of faster news, right at your fingertips with the Bendigo Advertiser app. Click here to download.