Landsberg calls for balance between homeless camps & public safety

Cr Terry Landsberg says says clearer management of public spaces is needed.

A Sunshine Coast councillor with frontline experience working with homeless people says compassion needs to be balanced with clearer management of public spaces, as long-term encampments continue to raise safety concerns in Caloundra and Nambour.

Sunshine Coast Councillor Terry Landsberg says homelessness on the Sunshine Coast requires a compassionate response, but insists council also has a responsibility to uphold community safety and manage public spaces in line with residents’ expectations.

The Division 2 (Caloundra) Councillor’s comments come amid ongoing concern in Nambour about long-term homeless encampments in parks and near playgrounds, and follow his public calls for action over illegal camping at the Caloundra Aerodrome precinct.

Cr Landsberg acknowledged strong similarities between the two situations, despite key differences around land use. “At Caloundra Aerodrome the problem with the camping there is that it is illegal because it’s not a public space,” he said. “It’s part of the aerodrome precinct and it’s right next to service delivery and the car parking area for businesses.”

However, he said the broader impacts being reported, including antisocial behaviour, safety concerns and damage to public spaces, were being felt across multiple communities.

“We have had a lot of these concerns around Caloundra with camping in public spaces, especially around the CBD,” he said. “The behaviour, the antisocial behaviour, is quite confronting for a lot of our tourists and locals who just want to have access to these areas.”

Cr Landsberg said council needed to strike a balance between compassion for people experiencing homelessness and its obligation to the wider community.

Cr Winston Johnston

“We do have to show a compassionate side – and we do,” he said. “But when there’s antisocial behaviour that is becoming increasingly more active like that which we are seeing, we need to take action in that space.”

Before entering council, Cr Landsberg spent three years as a team leader with Rosies Friends on the Street, a volunteer-based outreach organisation providing food, conversation and support to people experiencing homelessness.

“I know first-hand what a lot of these individuals are going through,” he said. “Some of the stories of how people end up on the street are absolutely so sad. You just want to help and reach out to them.”

However, he said not all individuals were willing to engage with available services.

“There are individuals that refuse to actually accept support from the Department of Housing or IFYS services,” he said. “Some prefer to live like that but that makes the situation even more complex.”

Cr Landsberg said homelessness was primarily a State Government responsibility, particularly when it came to housing supply, but acknowledged council’s frontline role.

“As a council, we’re the most connected to the community,” he said. “Our ratepayers expect us to, as our legislated responsibility, enforce local laws – but we do need more support, both financially and operationally, from other levels of government.”

He said clearer management of public spaces was needed, echoing recent comments by Div 5 Cr Winston Johnston who told the Gazette (December 10) that council needed clearer boundaries. “People want a fair outcome, but they also want to feel safe,” Cr Johnston said. 

“That comes down to clearer management of these public spaces, improved signage and obviously more presence,” Cr Landsberg said. “People need to feel comfortable moving around in their local CBDs and public spaces.”

While acknowledging the sensitivity of the issue, Cr Landsberg said community expectations could not be ignored. “I believe our ratepayers of the Sunshine Coast expect us to uphold our local laws,” he said. “With compassion – but we do need to set boundaries.”

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Details of community meeting on safety and homelessness

Wednesday 28 January 2026, 6.30pm. Presynct Venue, 15 Ann Street, Nambour

Nambour is at a turning point and many of us are feeling the strain in different ways. This meeting is being held so local residents, businesses and community groups can come together and begin forming a Strategy Group focused on finding practical ways forward for our town.

Key issues to be discussed include homelessness, public safety, town amenity, business impacts and community wellbeing. The aim is to workshop solutions, identify shared concerns, and build a clear, united voice that can be taken to the relevant levels of government.

This is about constructive action, respectful discussion and putting Nambour first. Everyone who cares about the future of Nambour is welcome to attend. You do not need to be part of any organisation. Just bring your ideas, your experience, and your willingness to work together. 

– from Helen Tagg of Nambour Now