As makeshift shelters and tents have become an increasingly visible fixture at local landmarks like Davidson Oval and the Main Street rotunda, East Gippsland Shire Council has shed light on how its frontline team manages the delicate balance between community amenity and the welfare of vulnerable residents.
Council emphasised that local laws officers treat the issue as a human crisis rather than a logistical one.
“Whenever our staff and rangers encounter someone sleeping rough or occupying public land, they are dealing with a person first and a situation second,” council chief executive officer, Fiona Weigall, said.
“These are rarely straightforward circumstances, and every case is different.”
Council’s team of Local Laws Officers operates on an almost daily basis across the shire, balancing community reports with proactive patrols of both high-profile public spaces and hidden, out-of-the-way locations.
While the visibility of public tents has drawn mixed reactions from the community, Ms Weigall clarified rangers do not simply move people on without cause. Under current operational procedures, enforcement is reserved for instances where an encampment creates significant amenity issues. Any instances of offensive behaviour, violence, theft or drug-related crime at the sites are immediately referred to Victoria Police.
“I think it’s important for the community to understand that our rangers often find themselves on the frontline of some very complex social issues,” she said.
“They are balancing the needs of vulnerable individuals with the expectations of the wider community, public and personal safety considerations, and the management of public spaces. It’s challenging work that requires both professionalism and compassion.”
When responding to encampments, council officers carry a mandate of connection rather than displacement. While reinforcing that council is not a specialised homelessness service provider, officers actively work as a conduit to regional support networks.
Frontline staff routinely offer direct referrals to housing and health agencies, distribute Gippsland Homelessness Network resource cards, and provide immediate advice on where individuals can access food, hot showers and local Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) offices.
Acknowledging that homelessness remains one of the most complex challenges facing regional Australia — driven by acute housing unaffordability, health challenges, and systemic social disadvantage — Ms Weigall said council will maintain its focus on advocacy.
“As a council, we care about the wellbeing of all members of our community,” she said.
“We will continue working with support agencies, community organisations and other levels of government to advocate for more housing, more services and better support for people who are doing it tough.”
