Criticism Aims at Australian Council’s Repetitive ‘Hot Potato’ Game to Disourage Homeless Individuals
The method has been criticized as “hideously cruel” and ineffective.
Famous children’s music group The Wiggles has criticized a council in Western Australia (WA) for playing one of their songs repeatedly to deter homeless people from congregating.
Graham Bricknell Memorial Music Shell, a waterfront bandstand near the centre of the city of Bunbury in the state’s south-west, has doubled as a shelter for the homeless for about a decade.
In an attempt to drive away homeless people, Bunbury Municipal Council has been playing The Wiggles’ classic song “Hot Potato” through loudspeakers 24 hours a day, repeatedly.
Bunbury mayor Jayson Miguel said that the music has been used on and off for the last six months to deter “anti-social behaviour,” but someone had recently broken into the music shell and locked the music to full volume.
A Wiggles spokesperson said the group was “deeply disappointed” to know their music had been used in such a way.
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“We are deeply disappointed today to hear that it is being used in any other way.”
Following the band’s outcry, the council stopped playing the music despite previously defending the action.
The mayor on Nov. 2 described the council’s use of the music as a passive tactic to discourage people from congregating, adding that such tactics have been used in other places in Australia and overseas. He added that the music has been put “back to an acceptable level.”
“Graham Bricknell Memorial Music Shell is a community space where people should feel safe to visit and meet up,” Mr. Miguel said.
“While the city is continuing to work with police and relevant agencies regarding the broader issue of homelessness, we also have a responsibility to provide a safe, healthy and connected community for all of our residents.”
However, on Nov. 3, the council announced it had turned off the music permanently.
“Homelessness is a sensitive and complex issue, which requires a holistic and collaborative approach,” the council said in a statement.
“We remain empathetic to those experiencing homelessness in our community as we continue to advocate with state government and work with local agencies to find a solution for all.”
Council’s Action Criticised As ‘Cruel’
Shelter WA chief executive Kath Snell condemned the City of Bunbury’s use of music, saying it was “hideously cruel” and recommended the council explore other options.
“There are so many more appropriate responses that could have been chosen to support people in our community doing it the toughest,” he said.
“There are so many examples of amazing local governments across WA working with their rangers and other frontline staff on strategies to support people experiencing homelessness in their local community.”
WA Housing and Homelessness Minister John Carey agreed, saying the City of Bunbury’s use of the music at the music shell was “not a constructive way to assist the most vulnerable members of our community.”
“All tiers of government—that’s local, state and federal—have a responsibility when it comes to an issue as complex as homelessness,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bunbury MLA and Disability Services Minister Don Punch argued that the city should find ways to help homeless people access services rather than using “inappropriate” ways.
He added that playing music 24 hours a day “is not a solution to homelessness.”
“The fact that people are sleeping over at the Graham Bricknell shell means that we have to review what the services are doing and how we can improve them to ensure that people are getting the appropriate services,” he said.
“I am very disappointed that the music is being played and very disappointed that the issue hasn’t come up earlier so that we can take the appropriate action to try and address it.”
In 2016, the year of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Bunbury Council played Peter Allen’s “I Go to Rio” in the music shell to drive away the homeless and vandals.
The council argued at that time that playing music repeatedly was an effective method to deter antisocial behaviour.
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