Gone begging: Beggars are being moved off the streets and into support programs. Photo: Jeremiah Ganicoche
Have you ever seen people with cardboard signs begging for money on the city streets and wondered what we should do about them? Well, wonder no more as a joint initiative between Victoria Police, Melbourne City Council and the Salvation Army aims to help people in need.
Operation Minta kicked off this week and runs through September 30. The aim is to stop people begging, which is an offence, and help them into a diversion program run by the Salvation Army.
“The offence has to go before the Magistrates Court, but our decision is not to put it through the normal stream and have them end up with a criminal record,” said Melbourne East police station acting Snr-Sgt Lisa Prentice-Evans.
“It’s to go through the diversion process and part of the diversion is to undertake work with the Salvation Army and get the support services that they require through them.”
Lucy Adams, principal lawyer with Justice Connect Homeless Law, a specialist legal service for the homeless or those at risk of homelessness, said efforts like this have not, in the past, addressed the root causes of why people beg on the streets.
“Our understanding is that, in 2014, 30 people were arrested as part of Operation Minta and we represented 15 of those people in the Magistrates’ Court,” Ms Adams said.
“The results of those consultations pointed to really high levels of vulnerability amongst that client group, including high levels of mental illness, high rates of homelessness and high rates of an experience of violence or trauma.”
The success of Operation Minta will be assessed on the number of people it helps.
“We judge it on how many people actually undertake the Salvation Army process. So for us, [beggars] engaging with the Salvation Army, we count that as a successful operation,” said acting Snr-Sgt Prentice-Evans.
“We really welcome a service-focused response, so linking people in with the health and housing services that they need,” Ms Adams said.
“Our strong view is that it doesn’t need to be done via the justice system and that this is a resource intensive and punitive way of approaching begging.”
People on the streets
Bill: Slept outside Melbourne Central last night. Photo: Jeremiah Ganicoche
What is your name?
My name’s Bill.
Where did you sleep last night?
I slept at Melbourne Central train station, in the hallway there.
How long have you been begging?
Not that long really. I have worked the majority of my life and paid taxes but unfortunately I am sick and on the pension and I’ve got some serious things wrong with me: cancer, hip replacement and a neurone disease which is eating away at the bottom of me spine, which is the nervous system.
Why are you begging?
Because I am homeless and I can’t afford the accommodation that’s out there.
How do you feel about the police crackdown?
I think it’s wrong because we’re not robbing anyone or hurting anybody. I’m not harassing anybody, there’s some out there that do, I understand that, but I don’t do that. I sit here with a sign and hope that kind people donate and if they do I very much appreciate it. I’ve never harassed anyone, abused anybody and I’ve just had my bike stolen, which was very expensive.
Emily: Has nowhere to go. Photo: Jeremiah Ganicoche
What is your name?
Emily.
Where did you sleep last night?
I slept in an abandoned house.
How long have you been begging?
Little while, yeah. Months.
Why are you begging?
Because I left my ex recently and I’ve got nowhere to go.
How do you feel about the police crackdown?
I think it’s ridiculous because it’s either this, prostitution or stealing, and I’m pretty sure a lot of people would agree with this.
Michael: Once kicked by a pig. Photo: Jeremiah Ganicoche
What is your name?
Michael.
Where did you sleep last night?
Down an alley with a broken sort of shed, just had a few holes in the roof.
How long have you been begging?
Off and on, four or five months.
Why are you begging?
To be honest I’ve been working since I was 12 years old and I’m just, I’m a bit proud to get on Centrelink at the moment. Apart from that I’m 34 years old and been working flat out since I was 12, and I’ve had three knee reconstructions. I need another one. And I got kicked in the head last year by a pig, animal that is. I’m a slaughterman by trade. Basically, I done my lumbar and vertebrae.
How do you feel about the police crackdown?
It’s bullshit, really. They should leave us be. Either that or, you know, what do they want us to do? Do crime or what? Basically that or crime isn’t it?
