MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have rejected a motion to declare a homelessness emergency after the deputy mayor warned state and federal government inaction would pass “the burden onto the ratepayer”.
The shire has had a housing crisis declaration in place since 2021 in response to the growing pressure on housing affordability and availability across the peninsula.
But with the peninsula now having the highest number of people sleeping rough out of any local government area in Victoria, Cr Max Patton moved a motion at the council’s 2 September meeting calling for a homelessness emergency to formally recognise the worsening situation.
“This is about the people in our streets, foreshore reserves and in our bushland, who are invisible to many but in need of urgent help,” he said.
“The ultimate goal to solving this is through more housing and to that end, we’ve had some great wins in recent times with housing projects in Rosebud and links and underway.
“But in the absence of any meaningful state government programs, we need to have robust social services to ensure the positive physical and mental health outcomes [for] rough sleepers.”
Patton added “there is no government funded, assertive outreach”, which was “largely funded by philanthropy through our community support centres, and these services are completely overworked with these dedicated caseworkers often taking on double the recommended workload”.
Council officers, in a report, also backed Patton’s call for a homelessness emergency as the situation was “likely to worsen without action to address the key challenges in the region”.
In addition to advocating for state and federal government support, the motion asked for the shire’s CEO to prepare and publish monthly reports tracking progress toward functional zero rough sleeping, and prioritising “an appropriate council response including resources to delivering the Triple A Housing Plan”.
But the motion was unsuccessful in a vote of six councillors against four.
Leading the argument against the proposal was deputy mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro who said while he “wholeheartedly agreed” that homelessness on the peninsula was a real and challenging issue, it was “not a legislative role of local government” but rather a “responsibility of the state and federal governments”.
“Unfortunately, foreshores where most of our homeless sleep are managed under state delegation, and on some of those state-managed foreshores, managers are locking toilets, showers, laundries and kitchens, and removing tap handles and the very places rough sleepers gather,” he said.
Pingiaro said it would be frustrating if a homelessness emergency was declared and council was left “to pick up the pieces” without meaningful support.
“We get nothing from state and federal governments within this space, but we spend approximately $1m every year supporting our three community support centres and 16 community houses,” he said.
“This motion isn’t a solution, it’s a platform and cost shifting; passing the burden onto the ratepayer, while those responsible at state level lock up facilities and walk away. I can’t support this not because I don’t care, but because I do care enough to call it out.
“I care enough to protect this council from empty declarations [that] don’t put food on the table, they don’t unlock a toilet, they don’t unlock a shower, kitchen or laundry, and they don’t house a single person. What makes a difference is practical investment and state and federal governments doing their job down here on the peninsula.”
In response, Patton insisted the motion was within the shire’s remit and “it’s not asking any more money to be directed; it’s asking for us to deliver on our adopted Triple A Housing Plan, which we are working toward”.
Patton added the motion would also call for all levels of government to take action “and to start to take notice” of what was occurring on the Mornington Peninsula.
“They have no problems funding assertive outreach and comprehensive housing programs in other parts of the state. It just doesn’t seem like we’re getting our fair share, and by us reaching the number one LGA in the state for homelessness and rough sleeping, we need to have an appropriate response, and that is saying that this is a humanitarian crisis.”
Speaking after the meeting, mayor Cr Anthony Marsh said the council was “committed to real outcomes, not symbolic gestures”.
“We’re investing record amounts into frontline homelessness services and food relief right now, and that work speaks louder than words,” he said.
“Just two weeks ago I met with the Federal Minister and Shadow Minister for Homelessness in Canberra, with a local meeting to follow. My focus is on action and collaboration, not declarations that don’t change the reality for people in need.
“I also need to be clear that we’re in this position because of a severe underinvestment by other levels of government, who have a legislated responsibility to address these issues.”
But Cr David Gill supported the motion, saying the issue was a “catastrophe” and that deaths had been reported of people sleeping rough on the foreshore.
“The fact that we have very little support from governments is obvious to everyone,” he said.
“I think we do more than any other council or as much as any other council towards helping with the situation, but we need the support of governments and that’s been lacking.”
Also supporting the motion was Cr Michael Stephens who said Western Port was the only region on the peninsula without a government-funded face-to-face homelessness support service, noting in the 2024–25 financial year, 347 individuals presented to the Westernport Community Support Service as homeless.
“People in crisis are forced to travel to Mornington or Frankston, a journey that can take more than an hour on public transport when what they need is help close to home,” he said.
A shire media release last month stated, “despite limited funding and growing demand, we are taking action — leading local initiatives, advocating to state and federal governments for urgent resources, and working closely with community partners to deliver real, lasting solutions”.
The shire has launched the Mornington Peninsula Zero project in partnership with Launch Housing, Frankston Zero and ten local support organisations.
“This Functional Zero initiative connects directly with people sleeping rough and builds a real-time By Name List to help tailor services and provide long-term housing solutions,” the shire said.
A statement supplied to The News by the Victorian government said last year $50m was invested into the bayside and peninsula local government areas to support homelessness entry points, case management, outreach support, youth-specific homelessness services, and support for people to maintain tenancies.
“We know that homelessness is also a housing problem, which is why we are investing more than $6.3b through the Big Housing Build and Regional Housing Fund to deliver more than 13,300 social and affordable homes across Victoria, with $27m delivered for the Mornington Peninsula local government area to build 69 new social and affordable homes,” the statement said.
“Every Victorian deserves the dignity of a safe and secure home, which is why here in Victoria we work closely with specialist agencies to support people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.”
The government said the Salvation Army Victoria was funded to deliver initial assessment and planning services, and case management support in bayside and peninsula LGAs, as well as operate the Crisis Centre in Rosebud, with more than $1m invested to support the operation of youth refuges in Moorabbin and Mount Martha.
A federal government statement to The News said, “Australia’s housing crisis has been a generation in the making and there’s no more heartbreaking consequence of it than the rise of homelessness including on the Mornington Peninsula”.
“It’s why we’ve got such an ambitious $43b agenda and are investing so heavily in social, crisis and transitional accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence, veterans and older women at risk of homelessness, including through the Housing Australia Future Fund.
“We’re focused on building more homes to make housing more affordable – right across the board.”
First published in the Mornington News – 9 September 2025
