Homeless to get hotel rooms for G20

Date
    February 21, 2014


Brisbane homeless people sleeping rough in the area affected by this year’s G20 summit will be offered hotels rooms in the suburbs.    

The G20 meeting of world leaders will be held in South Brisbane in November, having a major impact on South Brisbane, West End and the CBD.

The main organisation working with Brisbane’s homeless, MICAH Projects, operates the Brisbane Homeless Service Centre at South Brisbane inside the ‘‘declared’’ G20 zone.


Some of Brisbane's homeless population will have alternative accommodation during the G20 summit.

Karyn Walsh, the former chair of the Queensland Council of Social Services, is now the co-ordinator of MICAH Projects.


They are trying to raise between $5000-$10,000 to accommodate homeless people away from the G20 zone.

Ms Walsh said Brisbane’s low-cost accommodation would be ‘‘clogged’’ during G20 and the homeless would feel highly vulnerable because of the massive police presence.

She said the influx of visitors to Brisbane would have the biggest impact on the homeless.

‘‘We would be looking to get a couple of thousand dollars up our sleeves so we can pre-book some hotel rooms for the crisis - outside the area - for a couple of days, perhaps that week,” she said.

‘‘If we leave it for much longer, it will be too late.’’

MICAH Projects is trying to find hotels for about 40 people.

One worker said finding alternative places to sleep was the biggest problem because most of South Brisbane was within the G20 declared area.

‘‘As Musgrave Park has now been included in the declared area, Indigenous people who gather around this culturally significant site may experience disruptions in their daily activities as well,” the worker said. “This includes some homeless people as well.’’

Ms Walsh said there was no intention to permanently shift the homeless.

Queensland Police’s G20 taskforce said it would not shift homeless people.

“Queensland Police Service has no intention to forcibly remove anyone, homeless or otherwise, who live in the declared area,” a statement from a G20 police taskforce spokeswoman said.

“Homeless people are residents of Brisbane, and are not considered a threat to G20 security.”

Moves to do this in Perth for CHOGM conference in 2011 backfired badly.

The G20 police taskforce began talks with the community groups who work with Brisbane’s homeless people last week.

Ms Walsh said South Brisbane, West End and the CBD were crucial to Brisbane’s homeless.

‘‘That whole inner-city area is where these people’s daily lives occur,’’ she said.

Police have been given details of MICAH’s daily street van - operating from 6am to 2pm - which operates throughout the inner-city.

Centacare’s executive director, Peter Selwood, agreed the G20 would have a major impact on homeless people and people in low-cost housing. He said Centacare staff needed access to their clients, often 24 hours a day.

‘‘So there would be potentially hundreds of people in that whole catchment that you are talking about, with various issues - nursing care that they need, in-home support, people with disability, frail aged - who will all need their normal support mechanisms,’’ Mr Selwood said.

Centacare provides care to 1000 people in low-cost housing, about 15,000 in community housing and 6000 children in child care through Southeast Queensland.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/homeless-to-get-hotel-rooms-for-g20-20140220-334il.html#ixzz2tts5di00

Yes and what happens to the homeless, after the G20 is finished?.      :(

wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 7:37am:

Yes and what happens to the homeless, after the G20 is finished?.      :(

Gas chambers.

Well you see that thing is, we can't let those important people at the G20 see the homeless.  Yes give them hotel rooms and hide it away.  After the G20, well it doesn't matter does it?.      :( 

What are they going to do with all the unemployed ferals that turn up to smash stuff? , use the ukranian solution?  ;D

Don't worry Mr Abbott, ( the job creator ) will find work for those people.      ;D      

Innocent bystander wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 7:40am:

wrote on Feb 21st, 2014 at 7:37am: Yes and what happens to the homeless, after the G20 is finished?.      :( Gas chambers.

What are they going to do with idiots like you during the G20 that come on here and post bullshyte

Anyway there wouldn't be room in the gas chambers aren't they going to put asylum seeker in there instead of them claiming Centrelink benefits for life

Isn't Mr Abbott the job maker, going to fix things?.   :-?

John S wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 7:57am:

Innocent bystander wrote on Feb 21st, 2014 at 7:40am: wrote on Feb 21st, 2014 at 7:37am: Yes and what happens to the homeless, after the G20 is finished?.      :( Gas chambers. What are they going to do with idiots like you during the G20 that come on here and post bullshyte Anyway there wouldn't be room in the gas chambers aren't they going to put asylum seeker in there instead of them claiming Centrelink benefits for life

;) ;)  To much POT for you   ,,  and just a bit of kettle  >:(

wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 7:45am:

Well you see that thing is, we can't let those important people at the G20 see the homeless.  Yes give them hotel rooms and hide it away.  After the G20, well it doesn't matter does it?.      :(

A least they get hotel rooms this time. Last time joh rounded them all up and put them in the "black hole" . . .

SOB

Ok, so we all turn up in Brissy with our clothes in a striped bag and get free accommodation for a week, that's nice.

I hope it's at least three star, after all it's times like these that the homeless could become noticed, they have some bargaining power. If they want to hide them then it's only fair that the homeless get something worthwhile out of the six days.

I'd go for a nice room and all meals supplied for at least one week.

wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 7:37am:

Yes and what happens to the homeless, after the G20 is finished?.      :(

Same thing that happened to the homeless here in Perth after they were 'rounded up and hidden' during CHOGM in 2011... back out onto the streets again.

Plenty of money for the homeless when it's politically expedient.

What hypocrites the Govt. are.

Yes as I was saying hide them away, and don't let the so called important G20 people see them.      :(   

wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 9:16am:

Yes as I was saying hide them away, and don't let the so called important G20 people see them.      :(

Thats what I thought this was about before I read the article. But its actually an initiative of the charity organisations that look after the homeless - not the authorities. Its about protecting these people who will be more vulnerable during a period where there will be an influx of visitors and increased police presense.

The actual authorities have stated they do not want to physically remove them like they did in Perth - which was a disaster.

wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 7:37am:

Yes and what happens to the homeless, after the G20 is finished?.      :(

Boat people have priority don't they?

Innocent bystander wrote on Feb 21^st, 2014 at 7:40am:

wrote on Feb 21st, 2014 at 7:37am: Yes and what happens to the homeless, after the G20 is finished?.      :( Gas chambers.

Yes, you'd love that, wouldn't you?