Council to Homeless Persons is urging the Victorian Government to support a private member’s bill to abolish the offence of begging.
Legalise Cannabis MP Rachel Payne will deliver her second reading speech on the bill to state parliament on Wednesday, proposing to remove begging from the Summary Offences Act 1996.
CHP CEO Deborah Di Natale said all MPs should support the reform, which would bring the state into line with NSW, Western Australia, Queensland and Tasmania.
"Homelessness and poverty should not be crimes," she said.
"We don't want to live in a society that criminalises vulnerable people pushed to the edge. We need to address the root causes – a dire shortage of social housing and homelessness services stretched to their limits."
Under current Victorian law, "begging and gathering alms" can result in imprisonment for up to 12 months – a punishment Ms Di Natale said only compounds disadvantage.
The Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Homelessness recommended the government consider removing begging as an offence, while UN human rights experts have called on governments worldwide to scrap laws criminalising homelessness.
In June, Victorian Coroner John Cain found begging should not be an offence after examining the brutal killing of Jessica Geddes at the hands of her abusive partner, who forced her to beg.
"Instead of criminalising people forced to seek help on our streets, we should be investing in the social housing and support services that prevent homelessness in the first place," Ms Di Natale said.
"Every day that this law remains on our books is another day we tell vulnerable Victorians that their poverty is a crime rather than a policy failure that we can and must fix.
"When someone is forced to beg for survival, the last thing they need is criminal charges, fines they can't pay, or unnecessary interactions with the justice system.
"I think most Victorians would be shocked we're lagging behind when it comes to treating people experiencing homelessness with basic dignity.
“Victorian MPs from across the political divide should unite to support this bill and send a clear signal that tackling homelessness needs a compassionate, evidence-based approach.”
Contact details:
Matt Coughlan 0400 561 480 / [email protected]