Collaboration, not buck-passing, is the way forward on safety in our public spaces

Helen Tagg says recognising the need for alternatives does not remove Council’s responsibility to manage parks safely in the interim.

From petitioner and homeless advocate Helen Tagg

I’m encouraged to see Sunshine Coast councillors in recent editions of the Gazette publicly acknowledging that simply moving people on without viable alternatives does not work. That position didn’t appear overnight. It reflects what many in the community has been raising consistently, and what I formally put forward last year through a pilot proposal submitted to  Council and the State Government.

It’s also notable that elements of that proposal are now being reflected in current public discussions. That’s a positive step if it leads to practical, coordinated outcomes rather than more delay.

At the same time, this process has made it clear there are policy and procedural gaps that sit squarely within Council’s own responsibility. These are not issues that can be deferred entirely to the State or resolved through housing responses alone. Council will need to directly address its role in how public spaces are managed, regulated and made safe.

‘The goal is simple: safer public spaces, better support for vulnerable people, and a community that feels heard rather than sidelined’

Recognising the need for alternatives does not remove Council’s responsibility to manage parks safely in the interim. Compassion and safety must exist together. One cannot be used to justify the absence of the other.

Last year, I was disappointed that Council declined to work alongside the State and Queensland Police on a coordinated approach to park management while longer-term solutions were being developed. That lack of coordination has contributed to the ongoing strain we continue to see in central public spaces.

Despite this, I remain hopeful. My focus for 2026 is stronger collaboration across all levels of government, clearer ownership of responsibilities, and a willingness to build on work already done rather than reinventing the conversation. 

The goal is simple: safer public spaces, better support for vulnerable people, and a community that feels heard rather than sidelined.

A key reason tonight’s (January 28) community meeting is going ahead is because there has still not been a genuine, open forum where local decision-makers, service providers and the community can sit in the same room and work through these issues transparently. 

We had hoped this could happen earlier through a public meeting involving key local representatives, but that did not proceed after council placed parameters on the meeting that could not be met.

In the absence of that, the community is now doing what communities often do when formal pathways stall. We are organising ourselves. This meeting is not about blame or confrontation. 

It is about sharing lived experience, identifying common concerns, and forming a clear, practical community position that can be taken back to Council and the State in a constructive way. In many ways, this is the community consultation that should have occurred but didn’t.

Complex problems are rarely solved behind closed doors. They require open discussion, shared ownership and a willingness to listen to perspectives that do not always align neatly. This public meeting is about starting that process properly, with transparency and respect, and creating momentum that can no longer be ignored. 

Public meeting January 28

The public meeting regarding safety and homelessness will be held tonight January 28 at 6.30pm at The Presynct. Only 20 tickets remained at time of going to press. Register via  https://events.humanitix.com/community-meeting-nambour.