HOMELESS people camped in the Adelaide Parklands say city council workers took away their tents and blankets during the wild weather of the past fortnight.
People scattered through isolated pockets of the parklands are now using tarpaulins as shelter against the winter rains.
Several are settled among gum trees behind former netball courts next to West Tce Cemetery.
Aaron Mundy, 29, who has been camping in the parklands on and off for the past seven years, said council patrols were taking possessions while people were away finding food or showers.
“They come by during the day and take our tents, blankets, pillows, even cups and plates,” he said.
“I want to camp out here – I am a free person.”
Clara Campbell, 41, said the parklands were a spiritually significant place to indigenous people.
“I am fighting for a camping ground for indigenous people here but we are getting harrassed by the council and it has got a lot worse since Michael Harbison became mayor,” she said.
“It is cold and wet but the council has taken away my tent. There are old, sick people in the parklands, teenage runaways, all sorts of people.
“I haven’t got a house – this is my home but the system doesn’t understand this is how a lot of indigenous people like to live.”
Lawyer Anthony Jucha is camping with the group for the long weekend to see the situation first hand.
“I have seen dozens of homeless people around here and a lot have been on waiting lists for housing for years,” he said yesterday.
Lord Mayor Michael Harbison said council officers were removing items which appeared to have been abandoned.
“We have a continuing program of trying to match the State Government’s social welfare services with the homeless people but you do get people who fall between the cracks in services,” he said. “If anyone simply wants to camp out because they like it then the place to camp is in authorised camp sites.
“There are two such sites in the parklands but we will not permit people to simply camp in public areas just because they feel like it.
“If people are camping there because they feel like it we are obliged to move them on.”
By BRAD CROUCH
(The Sunday Mail – 8 June 2003)