“Nobody accepted responsibility. Everybody said that it was somebody else’s responsibility.” – Sue Macgregor Resident.

Just over 12 months ago, the Round Table was established to look into community safety in response to a growing dissatisfaction within the community.

The initial hype over the Round Table with all of its political atmospherics on display by some of the Councillors led to heightened expectations well beyond what could be realistically achieved. 12 months on with no increase in resourcing to the police, camping laws still under consultation and poor coordination among the stakeholders, the situation is no better and by all accounts anecdotally worse.

Current Mayor Makin succinctly surmised the situation recently when he stated:

“The message is clear: no single organisation can tackle these challenges [Homelessness, alcohol and other drug harm, public space safety] alone. Meaningful progress depends on collaboration across councils, government, police, service providers and our communities”

Five case studies below testify to a failure of coordination at all levels – the various lubricant as expressed by Councillor Makin required to making a difference on community safety and wellbeing.

Case Study 1 – The Homeless Lady – 02 December 2025

A homeless lady with drug issues is found in a makeshift camp on private property. The owner, Sue Macgregor, did everything within her power to seek assistance for the homeless lady through various channels. This included:

• Launch Housing.
• Salvation Army.
• Sacred Heart Mission.
• Council Liaison Officer
• Police
• 000 emergency Services.
• Local Member for Macnamara.
• Two Councillors.
• Radio ABC774.

After three days of no action and being continually passed around to other agencies, the owner dismantled the camp herself navigating many used syringes in the process. Reflecting on the experience, in the property owners own words:

“I have lived in the area for over 40 years. I have practiced Law in the area for 30 years. I know my way around bureaucracies and systems. I could not get anywhere. How is a mentally ill person supposed to work out this system?

I spent probably 20+ hours on this trying to come to a satisfactory ending. To say that I am frustrated and feel that I have been smashing my head against a brick wall is an understatement. Nobody accepted responsibility. Everybody said that it was somebody else’s responsibility. Everybody told me that there were systems, but nobody could tell me what the systems were and how to activate the systems.”

Source: Photo and article from Greg Day TWISK https://gdaystkilda.com.au

Case Study 2 – Closure of 7 -Eleven Fitzroy Street February 2026.

Early February 2026, the 7-11 in Fitzroy Street Closed after over 30 years in operation. A once profitable store closed with theft and staff security as some of the driving factors. Those acquainted with Fitzroy Street know the issue of a constant stream of drug affected, often violent and those with mental issues who have used the under-cover awing as a camping ground. Recently with the St Kilda Festival, they migrated for the weekend to Carlisle Street, Balaclava where there was a heightened increase in theft, assaults, physical and verbal abuse.

Source: Facebook

Case Study 3 – Greeves Street St Kilda

A certain female known to the CoPP and the Police has continually set up various camps in Greeves Street, St Kilda. She is also seen in Acland Court and in the Acland Street precinct creating a nuisance. She has shown to be violent and abusive. She also is a serial graffitist that has painted one building in particular dozens of times of which the cost to council in graffiti removal has gone into the tens of thousands. She also spreads her artistic licence to graffitiing the entrance to Woolworths. This behaviour has gone on now for well over 12 months.

Councils’ response is always something like this “the team is aware of this individual and continue to patrol daily and work with police and services to provide support and resolve the situation”. What this essentially is a demonstration of Council wanting to be seen to do something but really, it’s just joining the conga line of “pass the parcel” – a parcel that has never been delivered.

Case Study 4 – The Wandering Violent Nuisance

This fellow recently was plastered over Facebook with 80 plus comments. A rough sleeper prone to extreme violence and verbal onslaught (appears to not like women and animals), with a cascade of personal experiences by the public reported to Facebook of his behaviour.

Source: Facebook

Case Study No 5 – “The Forbidden Zones” – West Beach St Kilda & Ngargee Tree Precinct (near St Kilda Junction), Albert Park.

In the last 12 months encampments have been growing outside of the view of most residents. These encampments are in the scrub and dunes of West St Kilda Beach and in the Ngargee tree precinct in Albert Park. The Ngargee tree precinct is on state land under Parks Victoria and does not fall directly under the CoPP remit.

In regard to the Albert Park site, safety warnings have been issued.  According to Greg Day of publication TWISK

“Police and fire brigade have been called to the camp on numerous occasions. Trees have been damaged, fires started and rubbish strewn around, including an assortment of probably stolen goods. It’s also being used as a toilet.”

Source: Greg Day TWISK https://gdaystkilda.com.au

Welfare Agencies Only One Part of the Jigsaw.

The CoPP has forwarded committed millions of ratepayer money to various social welfare agencies to assist in their work. Throwing money at welfare agencies is not the panacea, although it could be argued that it feeds the respective NGO business models and for some of our Councillors, it’s a form of pandering to their supporter base.

The ideal solution outside of council remit is a well-funded police force and a strengthened judiciary – Areas that the State Government remains big on rhetoric, but no substantive action. When those elements are in place we then can talk about realistic coordination as expressed by Mayor Makin.

While not making light of the work of welfare agencies, they tend to only offer limited assistance and focus on what could be described as the “low hanging fruit.” Difficult cases as expressed in the above case studies, face general pushback with a reticence to assist due to the complexities of the cases, including case workers putting their own safety at risk. Council Officers understandably have also in the past expressed reluctance to assist when safety issues are present.

 

 

Changes to Local Laws on Camping Part of a Comprehensive Pathway Forward.

And this is where the change to local laws in regard to camping is an important element in any improvement in community safety. (see ‘Councillors to vote on encampment local laws’ in this edition. Police through established protocols need to be able to work beside agencies to give greater protection to social workers and allow for greater access to and deliverability of services.

In the City of Port Philip according to a 2022 survey from the CoPP suggest the number of homeless or rough sleepers amounted to 86 of which many of those did have some form of temporary or emergency accommodation. (Observed were up to 25 in hotspot areas of Acland and Fitzroy Street).

Thus, statistically less than 1 in a 1000 citizens are with homelessness issues (approximately 0.08 of 1%.).  But that cohort in total is not the problem. It is the small subset of that group; the mentally ill, violent and drug affected that is causing the social disruption and problems in our hood. That is what the changes to the camping laws are designed to focus on a few dozen people who largely cause the mayhem on our streets.

A Final Word.

One year post the Round Table, there is little movement on the ground with an ongoing deteriorating law and order situation and a community who continues to worry about crime and safety with no sign of abatement.

When you hear those outside the sensible centre standing up for the rights of maybe a dozen or so hard-core troublemakers who are sleeping rough, prone to violence, vandalising private property and public infrastructure, taking over our public walkways, and costing the ratepayers – correct them!

Human rights are rarely absolute. On any discussion on human rights, the conversation should be framed in terms of balancing rights with due regard to responsibility, competing rights and the interests of the general community. Sadly, it’s we the general community whose rights have been sacrificed for the few who are breaking down social cohesion and are running amuck!