Last Wednesday evening I attended the meeting convened by indefatigable Mary Street warrior, Tony Goodman, and hosted by the vivacious Kiki Watt at ‘The Dolly’.
The meeting was organised specifically to address the problem of the invasion and occupation of the Gympie CBD by an increasing number of homeless people.
There were at least 80 people crammed into The Dolly — most of them angry and anxious business owners.
It was quickly evident that the presence of homeless people, especially those on drugs, is having a devastating effect on local businesses.
Some of the stories were shocking — customers being afraid to leave shops or approach ATMs, shop doors having to be closed for extended periods, and the challenge of finding a safe place to park.
Repeatedly one heard of the fearful walk from and to the tiered carpark above the stage in the centre of Mary Street in pre- and post-trading hours.
Workers run the gauntlet of scruffy, often drug-affected loungers and aggressively vocal wanderers.
There is angst and justifiable anger at a situation that has seriously degraded Mary Street as a destination for shopping and even social engagement.
But there was also evidence of human sympathy and compassion.
One lady speaker acknowledged that ‘One bad decision…’ could put any of us into homelessness.
One thing I noticed was that nobody mentioned actually knowing or recognising any of the homeless people.
Are they all immigrants to Gympie?
Is Gympie now a Mecca for the homeless?
It seems the solution, which is not obvious, is multi-faceted—involving not only law enforcement but relocation and rehabilitation services.
One thing is certain.
Something HAS to be done.
And that urgently!
– Merv Welch,
The Palms
