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Matagarup Refugee Camp

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Coordinates: 31°57′51″S 115°53′04″E / 31.9641°S 115.8845°E / -31.9641; 115.8845
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Matagarup Refugee Camp was a political protest in 2015 against the Government of Western Australia's threat to close many Aboriginal remote communities[1][2] and safe space for Noongar homeless people.[3] Matagarup is the Noongar name for Heirisson Island which is situated in East Perth.

History

[edit]

On 1 March 2015 more than 100 Aboriginal protesters and homeless people established a "refugee protest" camp at Heirisson Island in response to the threat by the Government of Western Australia of forced closures of small remote communities.[4] However, the City of Perth refused the protesters camping, protesting and sheltering homeless on Heirisson Island, and raided the camp nine times between March and August 2015, usually escorted by a large police presence, confiscating tents and belongings.[5] During some of the raids, police were accused of "excessive use of force".[6] Some of the raids led to arrests by police, issuing of move-on notices and in court appearances but the campers and the homeless continued to return.[7]

On each occasion the camp re-established itself, led by Noongar Elder, Bella Bropho, who began camping on the island on 1 March 2015.[needs update] Bropho said that the homeless camp had to be fought for "because if this fails, I don't know where the people are going to go to."[8] While the camp was seen as both illegal and unwanted by some, it claimed to be accepted by some workers with the homeless, particularly Jennifer Kaeshagen of the First Nations Homelessness Project and director of HAND Tanya Cairns,[9] and it attracted international attention and support.[10][11]

On 31 May 2015, a concert was held on Heirisson Island.[12][13] City of Perth Chief Executive Officer Gary Stevenson stated "authorities were compelled to act due to the recent amount of activity on the island" and that "facilities are not designed to cope with large groups of people continuously congregating at Heirisson Island".[14]

Matagarup elevated media attention to Perth's increasing homelessness and advocates for the homeless such as Kaeshagen and Gerry Georgatos established campaigns for Homeless Friendly Precincts that expanded nationally,[15] and even secured the support of the City of Perth. Georgatos said that homelessness on the streets includes significant numbers of large families "of 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 children".[16][17]

After an August 2015 raid, the City of Perth officially referred to their efforts as "de-camping", but desisted from confiscating tents. The camp grew and continued to shelter the homeless. Advocates alongside the campers led by Bella Bropho brought the right of the homeless to camp at Heirisson Island before various tribunals, mediation and courts, each time unsuccessfully.

Kaeshagen and Cairns coordinated Christmas for the homeless camp at Heirisson on 22 December 2015 once again without securing permits from the City of Perth.[18]

The camp was removed in April 2016.[19]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Rallies held to protest against threat of remote community closures in Western Australia - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. Abc.net.au. May 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  2. ^ "Leaked document reveals 192 WA Aboriginal communities deemed unsustainable in 2010 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. Abc.net.au. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  3. ^ "Matagarup". CAAMA. Retrieved 10 November 2015.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ "No CookiesPerth Now". Perthnow.com.au. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  5. ^ "Arrests as police remove tents at Perth's Heirisson Island Aboriginal protest - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  6. ^ "Show of Force | 9 News Perth". YouTube. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Protesters arrested as police close down Heirisson Island protest camp | NITV". Sbs.com.au. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Police leave Perth's Heirisson Island". Skynews.com.au. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  9. ^ "Helping HAND for homeless | Community Newspaper Group". Communitynews.com.au. 9 June 2015. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  10. ^ "Second raid on Aboriginal camp adds fuel to international protest". YouTube. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Māori supporters entertain indigenous protesters | Māori Television". Maoritelevision.com. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  12. ^ "Matagarup Fund Raising Concert - May30 2015". YouTube. 31 May 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  13. ^ "PodOmatic | Best Free Podcasts". Torangapu.podomatic.com. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  14. ^ "City acts on illegal camping at Heirisson Island | City of Perth". Perth.wa.gov.au. 18 June 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  15. ^ Glamocak, Wendy (3 September 2015). "Homeless-friendly plan to offer showers and sleeping areas in Adelaide - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  16. ^ "Homeless Crisis | 9 News Perth". YouTube. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  17. ^ "Homeless Crisis | Today Perth News". YouTube. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  18. ^ "Santa visits Aboriginal families on Heirisson Island". CAAMA Radio. 22 December 2015. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  19. ^ "Council warns campers back on Perth island". SBS News. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2024.

31°57′51″S 115°53′04″E / 31.9641°S 115.8845°E / -31.9641; 115.8845

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