Housing crisis frontline

By Jo Kennett

SEVERAL LOCAL good Samaritans at the frontline of the housing crisis say the border at Tweed Heads has become the worst place for homelessness and “something needs to be done.”

You might have seen recent posts on social media from Tina Smith, thanking the many locals that donated tents, sleeping bags, inflatable mattresses, clothes, food and other products she has been collecting to deliver to rough sleepers.

“There are so many homeless people around Tweed and Coolangatta because of the floods and the rental crisis, and we really need someone to step up and do something,” Tina said.

“We need some Council or Crown land where people can put their tents, I’ve seen so many vacant blocks everywhere.”

Tina is also helping out mums fleeing domestic violence and living in shelters.

“Even people that have been through the shelters get accommodation afterwards and I collect all their kitchen things and household goods,” she said.

“I’ve got people who are homeless due to the rental crisis.

“Sometimes they open up to me about their experiences and how they came to be homeless.

“At Fred’s Place when I was there, there were more than 30 people. On the border is the worst and it’s Tweed more than Cooly.”

Fred’s Place (9 Boyd Street) and Agape Outreach (56 Recreation Street) provide meals, showers and support for the homeless and needy in Tweed Heads, but Tina believes a soup kitchen is needed near Jack Evans Boat Harbour.

“Rather than go to an organisation it could come to them,” she said.

“I worked for Agape Outreach and I did see that there was a loophole in the system.

“There were people who, because of their pride or other reasons, might have felt uncomfortable asking for help. I thought the only way they will get help is if I go to them and help them out by being with them and talking to them and finding out what they actually need.

“Sometimes they won’t come in to get things like hygiene products.

“It’s a pride thing and they might not have had a shower for three days and they feel dirty and I totally get it. I wouldn’t want to go into places like that.

“Some are elderly and not able to get there and everyone is so grateful when I take things out to them because they really want to know that someone cares and that they are loved.”

Pottsville’s Wendy Pluckrose collects daily essentials for Tina to hand out like shampoo, conditioners, soaps and feminine hygiene products, and makes bivvy bags for sleeping bags, toilet bags and other products.

Wendy also upcycles plastics like chip packets, landfill plastic, insulated pouches, and bubble wrap with her Chip Packet Project Tweed Coast into survival blankets, pillows and mats for rough sleepers.

“There are a lot of homeless people out there that won’t come forward and get help and this is why Tina has gone out there,” Wendy said.

“They are too shy or ashamed to come forward.

“Some of them are homeless and when they can get help and get back on their feet they choose to be volunteers themselves which is wonderful.”

Coolangatta-Tweed Heads Lions Club’s John Skinner went through the floods in Lismore before moving to Tweed Heads.

“I saw Tina’s ad on Facebook and I thought that was something my Lions Club could support her with,” he said.

“I’m going to try and get some funding to help her out.

“I’m trying to find out what services exist, what doesn’t exist and what we can pull together.”

Tina would also like to see the disused information centre at Jack Evans turned into a drop-in centre for locals in need.