A group of homeless and drug addicts "camp" outside a public toilet in Lilydale, northeast Melbourne, scaring local children and women.
Since December, the group has set up tents on concrete floors outside a public toilet near Crown Hotel, turning the area into a "forbidden zone".
(photo source: Australian Herald Sun)
Craig Morrison said he took his grandchildren to the bathroom in the area, but they dared not go.
"there are some mothers with children who want to go to the bathroom, but they`re scared," Morrison said. My grandchildren dare not go to the bathroom. "
Morrison says he has filed two complaints with Yarra Ranges, but they haven`t done anything. He said, "I went there again and found three more people." Government didn`t do anything. "
(photo source: Australian Herald Sun)
James Collins, head of social and economic development at Yarra Ranges, said parliament had referred the issue to Anchor, a homeless service, in December.
Collins said: "Anchor offered these homeless people a place to stay, but by the time they refused to help. We contacted the police before Christmas and asked the police to monitor the area. If someone has a tendency to hurt themselves and others, then the police will deal with it. "
But Neal Taylor, head of Holy Fools, a homeless charity, said he had tried to provide shelter to these people, but they were not interested.
"in the course of my dealings with homeless people, some homeless people are reluctant to receive help because of their own situation, and they sometimes suffer a lot from their own suffering. So they treat themselves by taking drugs or alcohol, "Taylor said." but that doesn`t mean they`re aggressive. "
He said there was a problem with the bum`s choice of address.
