Homeless people will be banned from camping in Melbourne, and a campaign will be launched to discourage donating items to rough sleepers, under a hardline council proposal.
The City of Melbourne has been facing mounting pressure to "clean up" homeless camps in prominent CBD locations, following a huge surge in public complaints about aggressive begging, drug use and the visual impact rough sleeping has on the city.
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Homeless at Flinders Street protest against eviction
As police move in, homeless people protest against their eviction from Flinders Street ahead of construction works.
A report tabled late on Thursday afternoon by City of Melbourne acting chief executive Martin Cutter proposes councillors vote to ban any type of public camping.
It is not clear if this means it will be illegal to sleep in a swag or a blanket, or if homeless people will be forced to sleep without any bedding or protection.
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A council spokeswoman said "whether camping is occurring would be based on a judgement call by the relevant authorised officer based on the facts observed at the time".
It is understood that some councillors are seeking urgent advice on the impact of the proposed amendment, with one calling it "baffling".
"Homelessness is the most important issue facing the council at the moment," the councillor said, "and this looks completely intolerable as far as I'm concerned."
Melbourne lord mayor Robert Doyle was unavailable for comment.
Previously, camping was only banned in Melbourne if campers used a vehicle, tent or other temporary structure.
Under the proposal to be voted on by Melbourne councillors next Tuesday, new laws could also be introduced making it illegal for people to leave any item unattended in public.
The council report said the reforms were an effort to try and reduce the huge amount of waste being collected from homeless squats.
"Council officers routinely remove an average amount of 100–150 kilograms per week of accumulated belongings to landfill," the report said.
"The situation is exacerbated by donations of goods to people sleeping rough. A communication campaign will need to be developed to inform and educate the public about the impact of donated goods."
Under the proposal, any items left unattended may be confiscated and impounded and only returned to the owner if they pay a fee.
There have been growing calls for the council to take a tougher approach on the approximately 250 homeless people sleeping in the city, following intense media coverage around the Flinders Street Station homeless encampment.
The council received 630 complaints last year about issues associated with rough sleepers, and 118 complaints in January, corresponding with a shift of rough sleepers to more visible locations in the city. In 2015 council received 150 complaints.
About a dozen people were forcibly removed from near the station on Wednesday. The city was thrown into chaos as protesters who attended the eviction clashed with police in front of hundreds of onlookers.
Last month News Corp reported that the lord mayor was to propose a new bylaw to outlaw sleeping on the city's streets following a request from Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton, who described the camp outside Flinders Street Station as "disgusting" and a "very ugly sight".
Former Commissioner for Children and Young People Bernie Geary has been named to lead weekly "hot spot" meetings about homelessness with the council, social services, police and the government.
The principal lawyer at Homeless Law, Lucy Adams, said the new laws could be used to move homeless people on or lead to them getting caught up in the justice system.
"It's a step in the wrong direction," Ms Adams said. "With a provision this broad there is a very real risk it will be enforced heavily against people experiencing homelessness."