Martin Place - Sydney's Tent City For Homeless In Middle Of The Cbd

Martin Place is a business district in the heart of Sydney, central to all levels and types of shops, cafes, restaurants, business and financial corporations, banks, heritage buildings, entertainment area, railway access, the 1927 World War 1 ANZAC Cenotaph, a Sydney’s news Centre and close to Parliament House.

Over the years, whenever walking through this pedestrian mall in Sydney’s CBD at night, I would spot here and there a homeless person bedded down for the night, but always gone by morning. Rather than hand over money, I made it a practice to get a hot meal, stoop down to pat a “Hello”, check whoever I targeted is OK before handing over the meal and walking away.

This past year I noticed in one section of Martin Place a handful of homeless persons camped throughout the day and free meal, clothing and grocery services run by charities set up nearby. This adjacent development of charity run services increased the homeless numbers over the following months, spilling over Martin Place.

I’m now astonished with the latest news of a “homeless persons’ tent city” set up in this section of the CBD. Most worrying is the “Leader” Lanz Priestley, a self-named “Mayor of Martin Place” and the actions he is taking against the City of Sydney; and who is also heading to our southern State to set up another “tent city”.

My main concerns are particularly for those vulnerable persons with mental illnesses mingling with the homeless now on the increase, congesting within Martin Place.

I really hope something can be resolved in a safe and viable manner for these persons. At the same time, I hope some resolution can be found in dealing with this Lanz Priestley “Mayor of Martin Place” as he appears to not take into consideration how the outcome of his actions may affect those most vulnerable. Having worked as a volunteer with different charities dealing with the disadvantaged, mentally ill and the homeless, I personally view this “Mayor of Martin Place” as a worrying concern.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/bu...n/news-story/1ef08578916e253b7794c34b571159fb