‘Being homeless is not a crime’: CBD security guard program under scrutiny

2 hours ago 1

Kathleen Terrick, like too many other Indigenous women, has recently experienced homelessness.

After spending time living in a tent on a riverbank as a child, she is now a member of the Homeless Persons Union of Victoria, which has just launched a campaign about a growing concern: the treatment of those sleeping rough in the CBD.

Kathleen Terrick has experienced homelessness and says there should be greater resources devoted to support services.

“Being homeless is not a crime,” Terrick said. “I don’t like these security ‘solutions’ that councils are coming up with. We need resources to go into proven services like outreach support and homeless shelters.”

The Homeless Persons Union started a petition on Monday demanding the City of Melbourne dump its $2 million program in the council’s 2025-26 budget to hire 10 security guards for city patrols, claiming the move unfairly targeted homeless people and criminalised poverty.

The council has confirmed these guards will take over from temporary contractor Crownland Security next month after a trial that started in March.

The security guards accompany local laws officers serving compliance orders, which the council said would target aggressive begging, street drinking and drug taking.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece in March with security guards who patrol the CBD.

Security guards’ powers are limited to citizen’s arrests, but Lord Mayor Nick Reece has argued they create a passive safety presence and help protect council workers.

“During the trial, our officers reported feeling safer when dealing with potentially violent situations, and we also saw a reduction in street drinking and begging,” Reece said in a statement.

Greens councillor Olivia Ball, however, took to social media this week to voice her opposition to the program.

She urged followers to do the same through the consultation for the council’s four-year plan, which closes on Sunday.

“Many people who will be the focus of this program have a history of trauma, abuse or violence. Imagine sitting on the footpath with heavily uniformed security guards standing over you,” Ball told The Age.

“It’s intimidating, to say the least. Council should leave policing to the police.”

Homelessness support service cohealth told the council in June that the organisation’s CBD outreach workers had seen rough sleepers “stood over and intimidated”.

“Our staff regularly report that our service users are targeted for merely occupying public space. Not begging or drinking,” Andrea Fischer, cohealth’s director for drug and alcohol responses, said in a submission.

Cohealth director Andrea Fischer (left) with outreach workers Daqan Nabben, Matt Palaia and Matt Stander in December.

“There was no engagement with our service when this strategy was announced and introduced.”

But businesses owners remain supportive of the council’s initiative.

Johnny Sandish, owner of Xpressomondo cafe in Degraves Street, said he appreciated the council was trying to address the problem of people feeling unsafe in the CBD.

“I think they’re doing the right thing,” he said. “If you see the homeless guys and what they are doing, it’s really hard.”

Johnny Sandish at his café in Degraves Street.

Salvation Army commanding officer Brendan Nottle said few vulnerable people who had visited the charity’s headquarters near Parliament House recently had expressed concerns about interactions with private security guards.

“No one’s mentioned them,” he said. “But we haven’t seen the security officers up this end of the city.”

During his mayoral election campaign last year, Reece pledged to introduce “city safety officers” and argued they were needed to tackle rising crime in the city centre, particularly around areas such as the intersection of Elizabeth and Flinders streets.

A report on the security guard trial presented to the Future Melbourne Committee in June found “positive pilot outcomes” and said local law officers felt safer.

Crownland Security director Charlie Kobak said any suggestions his guards had overreached in dealing with vulnerable people were “absolutely false” and could not be substantiated.

“It’s really hurtful. Our primary role is to protect council workers from harm,” he said. “There’s been incidents where our security guards have been assaulted and had alcohol thrown at them.”

Cohealth deputy chief executive Christopher Turner declined to comment on specific incidents, but in a statement, confirmed the health provider was working with the council on CBD problems.

“Cohealth has and will continue to recommend a human rights approach when considering those who are experiencing homelessness, while working closely with council to identify sustainable solutions to community safety concerns,” Turner said.

Businesses along the southern end of Elizabeth Street say drug-fuelled antisocial behaviour and violence has worsened.

The City of Melbourne said its new community safety team would undergo training to deal with people with mental health and substance abuse issues.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in our city, and everyone deserves a roof over their head,” Reece said.

“Over the past two years, there have been almost 40 incidents of occupational violence directed at our staff – that is simply unacceptable.”

In June, Wyndham City Council, in Melbourne’s outer west, voted to pay $372,000 for private security to patrol the suburb of Truganina.

The following month, Maribyrnong City Council took crime prevention into its own hands when it voted to hire private security guards to patrol antisocial hotspots.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.