By Mark Reidy
WA PREMIER Colin Barnett promised a group of angry homeless people that they would not be treated any differently to other WA citizens during the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October this year.
The small but vocal group gathered on the steps of Parliament House on 14 April to deliver a petition protesting the decision, announced several weeks ago by Police Minister Rob Johnson that homeless people be removed from most of Perth’s CBD during the three-day gathering, beginning 28 October.
Corey Wilkinson, 30, who has experienced lengthy stints of homelessness since the age of 16, said that he and several other people currently living on the streets had been outraged by the prospect of being “hidden away from world leaders” just to give the impression that there was not a homelessness problem in Perth.
“We have collected over 400 signatures in the last 24 hours, including many from those who are currently living on the streets, and have handed them to Opposition Leader Eric Ripper who will be presenting them to Members of Parliament”.
Mr Barnett, who met the protesters on the steps before Question Time, promised that those who were homeless would not be “rounded up.” He also said security measures meant that certain areas would have to be sealed off and if anyone was removed, the government would seek the help of various city welfare agencies to provide assistance.
When Mr Wilkinson presented the petition to the Opposition Leader, minutes before the parliament’s afternoon session began, Mr Ripper said he was greatly concerned with the crisis of homelessness. Mr Ripper said there were more than 55,000 people currently on the public housing waiting list and with the expected influx of workers in the next few years, he believed the situation would deteriorate further.
Ken, 46, who has lived intermittently on the streets for the past three years, said he was disgusted by the attitude shown by the Government.
“It is sad to be not only unwanted, but to be unacknowledged; to have our own representatives pretend that we don’t even exist leaves me with a feeling of emptiness and disgust”.