No

What possible consequence is it to you that a person or a family needs a safe space to SLEEP. Obviously for whatever personal and most likely unfair reason that they are left with no option but to sleep in public is a result of the system we are forced to live in, which is a much higher priority that needs to be addressed. But what difference does it make to YOUR life if they do or don't?

Homelessness is often a result of systemic and cyclical disadvantage, many are born into it and it can be impossible to get out. Many who own homes nowadays do so due to some sort of privilege. Everyone has the right to safety and roof over their head; if this is the best option, so be it.

I believe that the Australian government should instead focus on providing more social and affordable housing, as well as supporting the creation of new jobs in public projects.

Where the hell, CAN they sleep? If they don't have a home, and they cant get into a Homeless shelter, they don't have a place to sleep,

How do you know they have refused to be put in housing? Surely it will just lead to increased victimisation of a vulnerable population. Anyone could end up homeless at anytime. We should look after each other. This land is our home. We should be able to use it. The signs of a developed society is that we can look after the people who need help.

It’s a public space. People should be allowed to feel safe where they choose to reside. Control and autonomy over these aspects of their life is important. Do we have to try and control everything? What harm is this truly doing?

It’s public land if you’re allowed to use it to do other things eg. Walk around a park etc. there should be a reasonable allowance for sleeping there. Unless they are camped arcross a whole footpath it’s fine

If you had enough affordable houses for people, then they wouldn't be homeless. The gutting of Housing trust during the GFC when housing trust properties were sold off in record numbers instead of buying foreclosure properties would have gone some of the way to solve this problem.
The other issues include mental health and addiction services which again had been cut to the bone over the last 20 years.

If housing is unaffordable & unattainable where are the homeless communities expected to go? Often public housing (such as shelters) can be unsafe & this may be a reason that a person may refuse to stay there. There could also be mental health conditions at play causing this person to not want to accept this help but rather than seeing the person as an issue, we should be seeing the inaccessibility to housing and mental health care as the issue.

It is called public property for a reason and people have every right to be there at any time or day. If that happens to be where they sleep who the **** cares.

A lot of homeless people decline help because they have been harmed by people they have previously trusted in these shelters and housing. A lot of homeless women have been raped in homeless shelters and a lot of homeless people have had their things stolen from housing and shelters as well as having been beaten up. If these people don't feel safe in housing which is often the case, then the only place they can go is a park bench or the foot path, most of what you see is public spaces so where do you expect them to go? There's no where left.

Merely removing homeless encampments without offering alternative housing and support services fails to address the root causes of homelessness and perpetuates the cycle of poverty. A more effective approach involves providing permanent housing, mental health services, and job training programs to help individuals rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society. This comprehensive strategy priorities compassion and evidence-based solutions while addressing the concerns of both homeless individuals and the community. Until the government can provide this homeless people need somewhere to reside.

They may not feel safe in those shelters and it is unfair to refuse them rights just because of where they feel the most safe.

Assuming that I am debating those against homeless encampments? *Why*? People are homeless for a reason, which is almost always due to inaccessibility or poor living conditions of some kind. By not allowing people to live safely, all we do is endanger the people. Homelessness can happen to anyone. Do *you* want to be in a situation where you have nowhere at all to sleep? It's almost unfathomable for most people, like missing limb syndrome.

Man is only as free as their societies least free member.

Even if you truly feel no empathy and cannot comprehend yourself within the same situation,…  Read more it actually directly harms the people. If people are struggling every day to survive the elements, they're not gonna be able to find a **** ing job, meaning they cannot contribute to the economy, meaning far less growth will be able to occur in your area, along with a decrease in labour force, so it still indirectly harms you.