Right now in Melbourne, uniformed private security guards are roaming the CBD and intimidating people sleeping rough until they move. We need to stop private guards harassing homeless people in the CBD.

Under a new City of Melbourne council program, “Community Safety Officers” (privately hired security guards) are being deployed to target what the council deems “anti-social behaviour”. 

We’ve heard reports from homelessness services and community organisations that these guards are standing over people – who are simply existing in public space – and intimidating them until they leave. 

This does nothing to address homelessness. It simply pushes vulnerable people further into danger and isolation while ignoring the real cause: a housing crisis driven by decades of underinvestment by our State Government. 

Melbourne’s Mayor, Nick Reece, is looking to expand this program to even more guards in just a few weeks! We need homes and support services, not harassment.

Sign the petition to call on the Victorian Labor Government to:

• Advocate to Melbourne City council to stop the private security guards program and prevent it from expanding further across the state.
  
• Stop Labor’s plans to demolish public housing and replace it with mostly private apartments.
  
• Fund solutions proven to help end homelessness, like mental health care, drug and alcohol support services, and wraparound social services.

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P.S. You might also like to sign this petition to the City of Melbourne started by the Homeless Persons Union.

_{Header image: Penny Stephens}