City of Port Phillip Council Local Laws are reviewed every 10 years and this has now happened!

After several community meetings and feedback, there has been an improvement on the local laws; nuisance, furniture and shopping trolleys. Council will introduce on 1 August 2023, these new local laws including behaviour on Council land, Furniture and Other Items on Council Land and Footpaths and Shopping Trolleys following strong community feedback.  

A proposal for a community consultation to improve camping laws failed in a close 4:5 vote at council.

The new local laws are designed to assist Local Law officers, managing the behaviours of individuals.   The new law defines nuisance behaviours (see details below) that can occur when individuals are camped on Fitzroy & Acland Streets, St Kilda. Contrary to popular belief most of the people camped on the street have housing but choose to camp on the street.   

The new local laws also allow for the removal of dumped furniture including couches, chairs, mattresses, sofa's, rugs, blankets, kitchen goods, electrical goods, etc. which is a problem on our high streets. 

The Camping local law (see below) exempts homeless people and individuals with complex needs from the ban on camping.  

Residents have advocated for better enforcement of the existing camping law and to remove the exemption for people with complex needs to improve safety amenity of residents and protect vulnerable people requiring housing and/or mental health services such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Residents have claimed it is not safe to allow people with confirmed complex needs to camp on the street because they often fall prey to drug dealers and violent offenders. These are vulnerable people who should be given care by healthcare agencies.

Residents expect Local Laws to apply the existing camping laws and prevent individuals camping on the street when they are known to have accommodation.

Thank you to Cr Rhonda Clark for holding these community meetings and for all those who were involved in passing these motions, it was very much appreciated by the local community.

Behaviour on Council Land 

The new local law states: A person must not on or in Council land, a road, or a footpath: 

Furniture and Other Items on Council Land and Footpaths

The new local law states:

Camping Local Law 2023 

Council resolved not to change the Camping local law, despite local community feedback for change. The current local law states: 

Shopping Trolleys

Supermarkets will be required to re-fit their trolleys with perimeter locks and have 12 months to do so.