During the COVID-19 lockdown periods in 2020, many of us experienced what exclusion from public places feels like. Sitting in the park or chatting to a few friends could now attract the attention of the police. For some, this feeling is nothing new.
PIAC and Homelessness NSW spoke to people sleeping rough in inner Sydney and their recent experiences of interactions with police. They shared shocking personal stories of people being unfairly moved on, searched, and subjected to excessive force by the police.
What needs to change to ensure people experiencing homelessness are treated respectfully and appropriately, and are not discriminated against on the basis of their homelessness?
We invite you to join us for a lunch time zoom forum to discuss the new PIAC report co-authored with Homelessness NSW, Policing Public Space: The experiences of people sleeping rough. Lead author and former PIAC StreetCare Project Officer, Madeleine Humphreys, will be in conversation with a solutions-focussed panel comprising law/policy experts and consumer voices:
- Rebecca Warfield, lived experience advocate, PIAC StreetCare
- Samantha Sowerwine, Principal Lawyer, Justice Connect (VIC)
- Professor Luke McNamara, Co-Director of the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice, UNSW
