Council urged to balance compassion with Nambour community health & safety

by Cameron Outridge

A Nambour mum who led a 1600-signature petition on homelessness in local parks has warned that Sunshine Coast Council’s current approach lacked balance, failing to protect both the community and people sleeping rough.

Petition organiser and Nambour Homelessness Community Working Group member Helen Tagg expressed frustration at Council’s response to her petition which arrived six weeks after it was presented. She said the official response continued down a path that was not working and that, while residents supported the Council’s compassionate stance, the absence of stronger safeguards was exposing everyone to unnecessary risk.

‘Compassion without clear boundaries doesn’t keep anyone safe’ 

“The community supports compassion,” Mrs Tagg said. “But compassion without clear boundaries doesn’t keep anyone safe. The current process isn’t protecting the community or the people sleeping rough.”

The petition, titled “Make Our Parks and Public Spaces Safe Again,” called for a “compassionate but urgent response” to restore safety and amenity in public spaces affected by long-term camping, including Quota Park and other sites near Nambour’s CBD, and to identify safe, supported alternatives for rough sleepers.

Council’s formal response, defended its focus on “education and engagement” over enforcement. It said previous experience had shown that “taking an enforcement-led approach results in increased anti-social behaviour, aggression towards Council officers, and reduced opportunities for connection with services”.

Mrs Tagg countered that those issues were already happening anyway and that the current strategy simply wasn’t keeping the community safe. She said better safeguards were needed for both residents and homeless people.

‘When parks look unsafe or neglected people stop seeing the human story behind homelessness’

Ms Tagg said her concerns focussed on three key risks: safety, hygiene and flood-prone areas. “Camping near playgrounds and schools creates risks for children and families, while flood zones endanger those living in makeshift camps,” she said.  “There are also growing hygiene issues, with waste, litter and damage to public spaces. These problems hurt everyone, especially the people who are most vulnerable.”

She added that poorly maintained or misused public spaces also increased stigma toward homeless people, making it harder for  the community to show empathy and for rough sleepers to access help. “When parks look unsafe or neglected and anti-social incidents are frequent, people stop seeing the human story behind homelessness,” she said.

Ms Tagg said that without clear exclusion zones or enforceable guidelines, Council’s approach of voluntary engagement could not keep shared spaces safe or clean.

“Does Council adequately understand homelessness not only as a social and housing issue, but also as a community safety and public health issue?” she said.

‘Exclusion zones and proactive relocation policies are essential to safeguard families

Mrs Tagg, who has lived experience of homelessness and a background in social work, said unmanaged rough sleeping increased vulnerability and unsafe behaviour in shared areas. She pointed to Australian Institute of Criminology data showing higher rates of drug use and offending among people experiencing homelessness.

She added that unmanaged encampments near children’s playgrounds, schools or public walkways placed vulnerable groups at greater risk of confrontation and harm.

“Exclusion zones and proactive relocation policies are essential to safeguard families and maintain safe public spaces while still providing humane, service-based support elsewhere,” she said.

Environmental impacts have also been raised, including waste accumulation, fire hazards and vegetation damage. Mrs Tagg said Council’s policy of restoring sites only after damage occurred “contradicts best-practice environmental management.”

Her submission asked whether Council had conducted formal risk assessments near schools, playgrounds or flood-prone areas, warning that neighbouring councils’ stricter enforcement could make Nambour “the default destination for unmanaged rough sleeping.”

Residents who signed the petition echoed her concerns. One supporter said their family now avoids the town centre “due to the escalation of unsafe behaviours and the deterioration of local parks.” 

Another wrote, “These people need a home but our public spaces aren’t it.”

A local mother said she regularly witnessed drug deals near schools and described the situation as “extremely unsafe.”

Council has since convened the Nambour Homelessness Response Forum with government and community partners. 

Mayor Rosanna Natoli said it was an opporopportunity to work collaboratively toward practical solutions, although no new measures have been announced yet.

‘Everyone deserves to feel safe’

“Ultimately, housing is the real solution to homelessness,” Mrs Tagg said. “But until that’s achieved, we need a better plan for both the homeless and the community. Everyone deserves to feel safe, and right now, we haven’t balanced this. We need a compassionate policy that actually works for everyone.”

Helen Tagg.

Helen Tagg presenting her petition o Div 10 Councillor, David Law, earlier this year.

Petitioner launches ‘Nambour Now’ group

Meanwhile, Mrs Tagg has launched a new Facebook private group page called “Nambour Now”.

“We’re a community of people who care about this place – locals, business owners, past residents, and supporters who want to see Nambour safer, stronger and more connected,” the group’s description says.

“This is where you can see what’s happening in the advocacy space, share ideas, and get involved in making Nambour better for everyone.”

As of yesterday the page had attracted almost 500 group members in just two days.