New development
Moreton Bay City Council in South-East Queensland has declared Wyllie Park in Petrie a free, legal campsite for people experiencing homelessness.
The initiative is expected to be trialled for 12 months, with various amenities and safety measures made available to people using the campsite.
This decision by the council is a new and significant change following the Supreme Court’s decision that the way in which council had evicted people from council land was in breach of human rights protections.
The Commission intervened in this case, to assist the court in identifying the relevant human rights scope and obligations applicable to the council’s eviction actions.
Key takeaways
The Human Rights Act calls for government bodies to explore effective ways to address issues while limiting the impact their actions may have on the fundamental rights of individuals.
This means public entities are required to act and make decisions in a way that is compatible with human rights, with rights only being limited to the extent that is reasonable and demonstrably justifiable.
Any initiatives from government bodies, such as this one from the Moreton Bay Council, which uphold the rights of everyone to the greatest extent possible, are welcome and constructive.