Melbourne lord mayor Robert Doyle is set to propose a new bylaw that outlaws sleeping on the city's streets.
Top cop calls CBD homeless camps 'disgusting'
People sleeping rough in Melbourne's CBD are pretending to be homeless so they can "shake down" tourists for money, according to Victoria's police chief. Vision courtesy Seven News Melbourne.
Homeless people would be banned from sleeping rough, according to a News Corp report, following increasing pressure on authorities over the Flinders Street Station camp.
Mr Doyle told News Corp he would put the proposal before councillors at next week's meeting.
Related Content
"I am happy to put this proposal before councillors at our first meeting if it is Victoria Police's recommendation, and they guarantee that they will enforce it," Mr Doyle was quoted as saying.
"Police already have powers to arrest for obstruction, for drug use, for threatening or aggressive behaviour, and for begging, and I would like to see them make full use of those powers as well.
"I welcome any move by police to bring an end to what has become a blight on our city, and the City of Melbourne continues to work with them to do that."
The News Corp report said the state government would hold a crisis meeting with police, Melbourne City Council and support groups on Monday.
In a surprising reversal of Victoria Police's previously softer stance on the homeless issue, Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton on Thursday described the camp outside Flinders Street Station as "disgusting" and a "very ugly sight".
He said the people living there were trying to exploit extra visitors coming to Melbourne for the Australian Open and said police would begin targeting beggars immediately.
"These people are not homeless, these are people that are choosing to camp . . . because people are visiting the city at this time of year and there's more people to shake down for money," he said.
Mr Ashton said police were powerless to move the rough sleepers and called for by-laws that banned camping in the CBD.
"We've been meeting with the city council about what extra by-laws we can get, because I think it looks disgusting what you see in the city," he said.
He defended accusations police were doing nothing, saying officers could not enforce laws that don't exist.
Mr Doyle did not return calls on Thursday night.