New local law change is a sublime vision by Council

IN RESPONSE to the unprecedented housing crisis, a new law has been voted in that will allow friends and family to live in a caravan, on a property, for up to six months in a twelve-month period.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Now, if I were Cr Darren Everard, Cr Zane O’Keefe or Cr James Hansen, I would probably be reassessing my ability to read my communities tea leaves, in the wake of the overwhelming public support for the new local law.

Eight councillors voted for, and only these three voted against pursuing the local law change to allow the community to help the community, when it was first raised in October of last year.

Over 5,000 signatures were cast on a Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre petition to make this happen, which is simply a massive response, by any measure.

Equally, it’s as close to a smackdown on the ‘vote no trio’ as you’re ever likely to see.

People are desperate, sleeping in their cars, tents and local parks.

Caution gentleman, it can be a long fall from that high horse you are sitting on.

Last October a proposal from Cr Jade Wellings, to allow people to accommodate victims of the region’s housing crisis in a caravan, on their own properties was put forward to Council.

This was double-downed with an impassioned presentation by respected CEO of the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre Tanya Stevenson, to all councillors urging them to consider this proposal as a way to provide some relief to the surge in homelessness across the region.

The law will allow vital free temporary accommodation to family and friends who find themselves homeless, as a result of the rentals crisis. Property owners cannot charge rent or ask for payment.

The work of Jade, Tanya and the Fraser Coast Regional Council to display the nimbleness to respond to this chronic issue in our region, shows outstanding leadership by those with a true understanding of humanity over politics.

I tip my hat to them all.

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