A GROUP of angry homelessness activists protested outside Scoresby MP and Treasurer Kim Wells' office on Monday afternoon.
They vented their anger over the failure of Mr Wells and Housing Minister Wendy Lovell to commit to providing a 'backpack bed' for up to 2800 homeless people. A backpack bed is a lightweight, emergency relief, fire-retardant outdoor bed for homeless people without shelter.
Swags for Homeless founder Tony Clarke, who developed the backpack, led the protest and said he wanted the two MPs to be accountable for what they had promised. "Before treasurer Wells and minister Lovell won the election they wrote letters of glowing support. Now in government they ignore the evidence of over 200 charity experts who support our program."
It would cost the government $238,000 to implement the program. "It's common knowledge that homeless people [can] die of hypothermia. When faced with spending a night on the streets, people deserve the respect and dignity of suitable outdoor bedding, and a blanket is not going to cut it."