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Saturday, March 7, 2026
This Friday, Supreme Court at Brisbane, Judge Smith J ruled it illegal for the City of Moreton Bay Council, Queensland, Australia, to have banned the applicants, eleven homeless people, from camping in public parks. Legal issues were identified with insufficient time to find alternative accommodation and unlawful disposal of the affected people belongings.
In the judgment, the Judge also concluded the Council seizing and disposing of eight of these eleven campers’ property at Eddie Hyland Park without their consent in April – May last year violated human rights. Next hearing was scheduled in three weeks to determine additional actions to be ordered, and costs.
On Friday, the Council published a statement, noting that eight homeless people took the Council to court and linking to the Supreme Court judgment. The Council did not comment on the judgment at the time, however noted that it was continuing to ban camping on public land. The responsibility to provide shelter for the homeless was on the state government, i.e. the Queensland government, the Council noted in its statement.
The court judgment from March 6 listed eleven applicants, not eight.
