samantha in the press - homelessness

No home for help
Mail Newspapers
by Mara Pattison-Sowden
24 May 2011

samantha in the press - local laws

Homeless help
Mail Newspapers
by Russell Bennett
19 April 2011

Camping Ban
Mail Newspapers
by Kath Gannaway
19 April 2011

local law passes

report from the roundtable - 12 apr

At this week's council meeting council had to consider the making of a local law to deal with a number of issues. This was the second time the local law was before us, back in January when the local law was first tabled, it raised the ire of groups and agencies who represent and help homeless people (see blog). The key issue at the time was the criminalisation of homelessness.

Although the local law covers off on a number of different matters, the issue which had the most attention was the part of the local law aimed at dealing with campers at Lillydale Lake and other parks around Yarra Ranges.

I moved the motion to make the local law. With that motion I also moved that an amendment be made to the Guidelines for Assessment, which is the document that provides guidance for staff on the interpretation and implementation of the law.

Since January, shire officers have been in contact with PILCH and other agencies around the wording of the local law and the Guidelines for Assessment. Councillors wanted to ensure that we picked up on concerns raised by advocates of homeless persons.

I noted in the draft that it failed to pick up an issue raised by both PILCH and the Salvation Army around our officers, should they indentify a person as homeless, the need to contact a relevant community agency to notify the agency of the existence and location of that homeless person (with their consent, of course). I thought it was important to include this in the Guidelines, it provides that bridge between council and homeless persons and connects people with help. In the event that a homeless person doesn't want assistance our local laws officers will provide them with a Homelessness Contact Card.

The Shire's local laws team have already been briefed by local agency, Anchor, so they will be better prepared should they indentify a homeless person when administering the local law. It's important to council that homelessness is dealt with in a sensitive manner, with respect and dignity and that homeless people are not disadvantaged by the local law.

Councillors supported the motion unanimously.

samantha in the press - local laws

Council bans Lillydale Lake campers Leader Newspapers by Kimberley Seedy 13 Apr 2011

samantha in the press - homelessness

'Sleeping rough' by-law deferred
Yarra Ranges Weekly
01 Feb 2011

Homeless stung
Mail Newspapers
by Kath Gannaway
01 Feb 2011

sleeping in cars - deferred for review

report from the roundtable - 25 jan

First meeting back for 2011 and there was a lot of attention given to our first item on the business paper, the making of the General Provisions Local Law 2010.

The local law had been developed to cover off on a number of things, however the item that caught the attention and ire of many community members, legal advocates and agencies was the part of the law that dealt with sleeping in cars.

As it was worded the draft law before council would have given council officers the ability to criminalise homelessness as it would be a breach of the law to sleep in your car. Council never intended the law to be applied in this way, it was really about having an ability to move on campers at Lillydale Lake, who are causing significant amenity impacts to locals who use the park.

I had come out publicly against supporting the law as it was written and had been working with officers on a solution. The best solution was to defer the making of the local law to give officers time to draft administrative guidelines and review the words of the local law so it wouldn't impact on the homeless.

In speaking to the deferral motion I reiterated to the gallery the law was only ever about addressing camping and was never about penalising the homeless. We need time to get the law right for the future, this council would never use this law against homeless people, but we need to get it right so any future council couldn't use it in this way.

It was a regrettable unintended consequence of the wording, the law was never about criminalising homelessness.

Council will work with legal advocates for homeless people and agencies involved with assisting homeless people to ensure the law achieves what council wants without penalising those most disadvantaged in our society.

Councillors voted unanimously to defer the local law, it will come back to us by the end of March, 2011 when we will consider it again.

samantha in the press - homelessness

Fears over new laws in Yarra Ranges
Lilydale Leader
by Emily Webb
25 Jan 2011

samantha in the press - homelessness

Council parking ban would 'punish' homeless
The Age
Farah Farouque
24 Jan 2011

report from the round table 27th May

A very planning orientated agenda at council last night, a lot of subdivisions to vote on, a dwelling construction and a couple of planning scheme amendments. Yarra Ranges is a very diverse shire and I find I need to have a very good understanding of the issues in the urban, environmentally sensitive and rural regions. The decisions council makes leaves a lasting impression on the shire and is not something to be taken lightly.

I’ve decided this time in my Report From The Round Table to list the meetings and events I've attended as councillor for Lyster Ward in the past fortnight.
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Wednesday
Filmed by a Swinburne student from Selby about the shire’s stance on GMOs
Met with officers to discuss festivals and events in the shire
Met with the community to talk about a masterplan for the Belgrave South sporting precinct
Participated in the development of a campaign strategy to get back federal funds for Burrinja
Thursday
Went to the launch of Open Studios at Burrinja
Friday
Special Council Meeting to appoint Yarra Ranges’ new CEO
Saturday
Spoke at a GMO forum put on by GeneEthics, giving advice to people across Victoria about how to approach their council to become GM free zones
Monday
Another follow up meeting to develop campaign strategy for Burrinja
Met with the community about the Menzies Creek Reserve
Tuesday
Went to the Council Forum, where councillors and officers meet to discuss issues
Wednesday
Attended the Shire’s Sustainable Food Forum
Met with a local sports club to discuss a redevelopment in Kilsyth
Attended an initial planning meeting to discuss my, Cr McRae and Cr Keane’s event to celebrate 100 years of women’s vote in Victoria
Met with concerned community members about the Belgrave toilet redevelopment
Thursday
Went to the Grab-a-Cab Forum at SkyHigh
Attended the planning consultation meeting for Burrinja
Friday
Met with a resident to discuss their application to build a house in an environmentally sensitive area
Spoke at the Forest and Water Forum in Warburton
Saturday
Visited eight local artist studios as part of Open Studios weekend
Sunday
Visited Fernlea House open day
Went to the Scouts Family Fun Day in Belgrave South
Monday
Went to the Belgrave Trader’s Association meeting
Attended the Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service Public Meeting to discuss the future of the service
Tuesday
Met with officers to discuss the Belgrave Planning Project
And finished the fortnight with our Council meeting

One of the stand out things I’ve learnt in the last fortnight is the desperate plight of the disadvantaged and homeless people in our community. I learnt if someone from our community wants to have a free shower in a public facility to do so they have to travel to Wantirna, on a Friday and be there between 9am and 11:30am. In such an affluent society as ours this is a crying shame. I am investigating if I can address this issue locally in the short term, I hope a quick solution can be found.