Fines won’t end homelessness.

Secure housing and social supports will.

Homelessness is not a crime - but new local laws being considered by Port Phillip Council would change that. These laws would authorise council officers to fine people for sitting, sleeping or lying on any public land.

We, the people who live and/or work in the city of Port Phillip, oppose this for these reasons:

1. Issuing fines would be an inefficient use of council staff and money;
2. The laws would target people experiencing homelessness;
3. The laws have been put forward as a way to promote community safety – issuing fines to people experiencing homelessness will not make our community safer;
4. Issuing fines to people experiencing homelessness will not address their unmet health, housing and support needs – it will add to them;
5. Issuing fines would be an act of pointless cruelty against our most vulnerable community members.

Our Council has a proud history of responding in practical and compassionate ways to people who are experiencing homelessness, especially those sleeping rough. They need secure housing and compassionate social supports, not fines and punishment. People experiencing homelessness are themselves at very high risk of being the victims of crime. 

We say NO to fines for rough sleeping. We say YES to more social housing, more permanent supported housing and expanded community support services. 

Please sign below and share this petition with your neighbours, colleagues and friends to let Port Phillip Council know we stand against the criminalisation of homelessness.

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Some further context for those interested:

On 19 February 2025, Port Phillip Council unanimously passed a motion to investigate the process for introducing a draft local law amendment. This was presented as addressing community concerns about safety in our city. If the draft local law amendment were adopted, it would:

• Give local laws officers the power to fine people for: “sitting, sleeping or laying on” any public land in Port Phillip;
• Remove existing protection from being fined for people who are homeless and have complex needs including disability and mental illness;
• Allow local laws officers to confiscate any property and fine people for placing any item that “enables a living arrangement or sleep”.

It is common sense that people experiencing homelessness are not going to be able to pay fines, and that being fined will do nothing to address the underlying issues leading to people sleeping rough in Port Phillip and would only make their lives harder. 

Our Council has a strong track record of fostering collaboration between different community support services and levels of government to work towards ending homelessness in Port Phillip. Port Phillip Zero is an important initiative that has had great success in getting people sleeping rough into secure and supportive housing and reducing homelessness in Port Phillip.