Wollongong Homeless Hub and Housing Services chief executive Mandy Brooker shares insight into Kully Bay community and challenges ahead of eviction deadline. Footage by Adam McLean
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00:00Yes, we've got one week until the enforcement action takes place down at Cully Bay,
00:04but we've seen some really significant engagement with people that are currently sleeping rough
00:09or have been in housing insecurity for a long period of time.
00:12So we're getting some good outcomes at the moment.
00:14There's two different groups of people that we're supporting down in that space.
00:18So some are the travellers that are just now moving on,
00:21and some are people that have experienced homelessness
00:24and have been just transient in their housing situation at the moment.
00:29So we've been able to, this fortnight, 12 individuals have been able to be supported
00:34into long-term and some transitional accommodation,
00:37and they're being assisted not only with signing up of leases,
00:41but then actually furnishing of their properties that they're about to go into,
00:45so they've got some safety and dignity.
00:46I think what's actually been proven in where we've got to today
00:50is really around the collaborative nature between all departments and stakeholders
00:54that manage that space, all coming together and working together,
00:58have achieved the great outcomes that have happened.
01:02Unfortunately, that could have and hopefully would have happened much earlier than it has today.
01:06So back in 2022 when the site became an issue,
01:10and again, it's a really complex site down there in regards to who actually manages what part of the land
01:16and some are travellers moving through.
01:19So it's taken a while, so hopefully there's a lot of learnings from this exercise
01:24to actually not have it take so long in future.
01:27Every council district have different facilities for people that are travelling through,
01:32but again, we know people are really in housing insecurity at the moment,
01:37so with rents going up like they have in the Illawarra,
01:39we really need some safe, secure spaces that people can get support
01:43and wraparound support in one location.