Forum responds to Nambour’s escalating homelessness issues
Nambour is hoping for meaningful, fast action from the forum, but bureacratic red tape looms as a threat to progress.
A Nambour Homelessness Response Forum has brought together key government stakeholders to address the growing homelessness issue in the community.
The forum, held on Tuesday, August 19, followed a tour of the area by Mayor Rosanna Natoli, Division 10 Councillor David Law and Member for Nicklin Marty Hunt who invited State Minister for Housing Sam O’Connor to walk through Quota Park. The visit gave Minister O’Connor a first-hand look at the challenges faced by the local community and led to the decision to convene the forum.
The forum focused on identifying how all government organisations could work in partnership to help those experiencing homelessness and sleeping rough in public spaces.
This is what they said:
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said the Nambour community needed urgent action from governments and agencies, as well as practical options to help resolve the issue. “We know there’s been an increase in homelessness in Nambour and it’s a really serious issue for the community,” she said.
She said Council and the State Government had committed to urgently identifying alternative safe locations where wrap-around services could provide support. “In Nambour in particular and right across the Sunshine Coast, homelessness is an issue. We’ve had a forum with the minister, the member for Nicklin, and a lot of agencies in the room, as well as local government, looking at ways to find solutions.
“We have committed to having more meetings of these forums and getting action. We’ve also committed to a working group with people with lived experience, talking about what solutions are possible and urgent local locations where we can look at moving people and with the support in place so that we can actually have safety in Nambour.”
Mayor Natoli said this commitment to collaboration would ensure immediate, medium and long-term solutions were considered. She said the forum would meet again to continue the discussions and progress a range of solutions.
Minister for Housing Sam O’Connor said the meeting set out clear actions to address the homelessness crisis and restore community safety in Nambour.
“We’re going to be working with (the Council) on alternative sites in the short term to see what options we could have to make sure you can have your parks back for the people in this community to enjoy,” he said.
He also announced an immediate increase in outreach.
“We’re ramping up our outreach efforts in Nambour by doubling our mobile engagement team visits on the ground,” he said.
But he stressed that a structural solution was required. “The longer-term solution is supported housing and we’re very much looking forward to seeing what sites you (Council) could have available for that to make sure we can get supportive housing on the Sunny Coast to help people with the complex needs that we’re seeing in these situations,” he said.
“The Sunshine Coast needs housing with support built in to address the complex needs many people experiencing homelessness have and that’s what the Crisafulli Government is committed to delivering for this community.”
State Member for Nicklin Marty Hunt said restoring safety was essential.
“I want the community and our businesses to know that we hear you,” he said. “Local residents and businesses in Nambour deserve to feel safe in our parks and on our streets and that means we must tackle the root causes of homelessness as well as its impacts. By working together across all levels of government and with local service providers, we can deliver the support people need in the short and long term to address this situation.”
Mr Hunt added: “We understand the urgency of this situation and community safety is my top priority. That’s why it’s great to have the Minister and Mayor here working together on solutions.”
Division 10 Councillor David Law urged a community-driven approach and echoed the urgency of the issue.
“I am encouraged with the commitment of all levels of government to find solutions in collaboration with our community,” Cr Law said. “Together we are all working to return our parks back to their intended use and provide alternate solutions for those experiencing homelessness and sleeping rough in public spaces. Thank you to those who have reached out, shared your concerns and offered ideas. We appreciate and acknowledge the impact this is having on the whole community and together we can push for change that is compassionate and effective.”
Cr Law said the forum gave those with lived experience the chance to speak directly to decision makers. “The forum began the work for real sustainable solutions hearing from people who are currently homeless and have been homeless along with service providers, who spoke directly to the Minister and everyone at the forum,” he said.
Sunshine Coast Council says it remains committed to working with all levels of government and the community to end homelessness. This included dedicated outreach teams, working with people with lived experience, and implementing the Sunshine Coast Housing and Homelessness Action Plan 2023.
It said the Nambour Homelessness Response Forum would continue to meet regularly to drive solutions and restore safety and confidence in the community.