08/12/2025
The incident I used as inspiration for my piece, where a houseless camp was destroyed by the Moreton Bay city council, is now in the Supreme Court.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-08/moreton-bay-council-faces-court-over-homeless-camp-destruction/106114178?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other
"Barrister Hamish Clift, acting for Basic Rights Queensland, told the court Moreton Bay's actions infringed the Human Rights Act.
He said those affected had been denied the right to home and privacy, the right to property, and freedom from cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.
"What is blindingly clear is there was no consideration of the applicants' human rights — there was not even space to consider it," Mr Clift told the court.
"The applicants are all homeless and sleeping rough on public land, they have nowhere else to go, there is no alternative, they are all indigent and vulnerable."
Mr Clift said at least two of his clients could not have given consent at all, since they were not present when the council officers bulldozed their belongings.
He said his clients were given 15 days to appeal the council's decision, which was rendered pointless by the fact they were given only one hour to remove their belongings."
