Big Bird Backpackers,聽a specialty emergency accommodation service in Spring Hill, currently houses聽around 70 people. Activists are calling on the Queensland government to fund the service, which otherwise has to close聽on April 28.
University of Queensland student counsellor Mina Lib volunteers to provide mental health support at Big Bird. She told 麻豆传媒 that many who live at Big Bird have previously been sleeping rough.
鈥淎 lot of the residents suffer from severe mental illnesses, addiction or trauma. There are some with cancer on chemotherapy treatments. The residents have built a community here,鈥 Lib聽said. 鈥淭hey have access to onsite services such as free doctors and medical assistance, counseling, Drug Arm, and food banks.
鈥淭hey have security, regular assistance and they know where to go.鈥
The property owner has raised the聽rent to $30,000 a聽month. This does not include utility and staff costs.
Lib describes this as a 鈥渟oft closure鈥 鈥斅 technically not an eviction,聽but pushing residents out by setting the聽rent at an unaffordable rate. Residents who can afford to do so pay $175 a聽week 鈥 not enough to cover the higher聽costs.
Housing minister Leeanne Enoch released a statement saying that the government 鈥渨ill continue to monitor the situation and stand ready to provide assistance鈥.
Lib says it is time for the government to act. 鈥淥bviously, we need assistance. Stop standing by.鈥澛燬he wants聽people to to demand action.
Big Bird manager Mark Farries 聽he needs to find $400,000 a聽year by April 28.
鈥淔our hundred thousand per year might seem like a lot to an ordinary working class person," Lib said. 鈥淏ut to the government, that is nothing! It is not even a fraction of what it would cost [in increased homelessness costs if residents are evicted from] Big Bird.鈥
Lib says that this is the worst housing crisis Australia has ever seen. 鈥淚 was in Musgrave Park two days ago and I counted at least 30 tents; there were 74 tents under the bridge in the city.
鈥淚t's heart breaking;聽it's making me feel physically ill. People should write or call the housing minister [asking for the government to] do something about Big Bird and other emergency accommodation.鈥
She also called on renters to join the South East Queensland Union of Renters to help push for grassroots action for renters rights.
鈥淎ustralia can afford to spend billions on nuclear submarines but can't afford to house it's own citizens. There are a lot of people who need help,鈥 she said.