Haese defends parklands homeless policy
Lord Mayor Martin Haese has defended the Adelaide City Council’s policy of removing rough sleepers from the parklands following claims the woman found dead in a carpark last week was issued with a ‘cease camping’ notice in the weeks before her death.
The body of the woman believed to be Rose-Marie Sheehy, 32, was discovered last week in a storeroom in Business SA’s underground carpark on Greenhill Road.
Police are treating the woman’s death as a murder.
Yesterday, InDaily reported claims that Sheehy was among at least nine campers ordered out of the parklands by the council during the past two months.
Social service agencies have criticised the ‘cease camping’ policy, saying it forces some homeless people into areas which may be less safe and less accessible or visible to those agencies.
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However, Haese told InDaily that if Sheehy was one of those asked to move along, council staff would have made every effort to connect her with welfare services.
“Whilst we have no evidence that Rose-Marie had been sleeping rough in the parklands, if she had been at any time council staff would have made every effort to connect her with the appropriate expert services,” he said in a statement to InDaily.
“Council officers work, in the first instance, to connect rough sleepers with services and then allow an appropriate period of time for individuals to work with services to find more suitable accommodation.
“Our staff check on the wellbeing of rough sleepers daily and also provide regular rubbish collection services for them whilst they are staying in the parklands.
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“At all times our staff seek to treat rough sleepers with respect, courtesy and compassion.”
He said situations such as Sheehy’s were deeply upsetting for everyone who works in the sector, including council workers.
“I can only imagine how difficult this time must have been for Rose-Marie, and my sympathy goes out to her family and friends,” he said.
“The best way to honour Rose-Marie’s memory is to continue to work together towards sustainable solutions to the complex root causes for homelessness and rough sleeping.
“The reality is homelessness and rough sleeping are extremely complex issues and there are no one-size-fits-all solutions.”
He said he agreed with welfare agencies that any rough sleepers moved from the parklands should be provided with somewhere safer to sleep and that “now is not the time for political point-scoring”.
“The death of Rose-Marie Sheehy … is undoubtedly a tragedy and highlights the need for people sleeping rough to have access to essential services at their time of need.
“There is no denying rough sleepers are vulnerable which is why we are working towards a whole of government/sector solution which ideally would see those most vulnerable and in need within our society suitably accommodated and safe from harm.”
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