<
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jun/01/state-owned-land-is-luke-quinns-final-refuge-from-council-patrols-but-soon-even-that-meagre-safety-could-disappear>
"Luke Quinn dreams of the day he can get his daughter back. First, he needs a
place to live.
Like most homeless residents of the Gold Coast, the 36-year-old has been moved
on by the local council. He estimates that’s happened up to eight times in the
six years he’s slept rough.
These days, he keeps on the move, hiding out of public view to avoid the
rangers. He said they often strike without warning, seizing an entire tent to
take to the tip.
“There’s no attempt at helping people better their situation. The light at the
tunnel’s end is not pointed out, you know?” Quinn said.
The Gold Coast, like Brisbane and Moreton Bay, north of the city, continues to
expand what it calls its “enforcement-led” homelessness policy. Other councils,
like Ipswich and Logan, have maintained a welfare approach.
For a year and a half, the state government has refused to endorse one approach
over another. But that could soon change.
A recent meeting of Gold Coast councillors heard the state’s transport
department had approached the Gold Coast council to negotiate an agreement for
council rangers to expand their patrols to clear homeless people from
state-owned land.
Advocates say the move is tantamount to endorsing the hardline approach and
would deny homeless people one of the last refuges from rangers. Even worse, it
could lock many of the most vulnerable into an endless cycle of punishment."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
