Below: On April 1, 2016, on Channel Ten's The Project, Waleed Aly challenged the illegal status of begging in most Australian states and territories.
Below: Published on Jun 3, 2014, this video shares statistics and information concerning homelessness in Australia, what causes homelessness and health issues of homeless people. It also includes Information on what is being done by Federal and State/Territory Governments to help.
Below: On March 11, 2013 World News Australia published a report on a Melbourne City Council proposal to discourage begging through a 'diversion strategy' which could include a court appearance. A reported spike in aggressive and confrontational begging prompted the proposal.
Below: A December 2012 vox pop on the proposal that begging be banned in Perth.
Below: In August, 2013, Youths Embracing Australian Homelessness (YEAH) released this four minute film, with the aim of changing the way that the public views youth homelessness.
Web links, documents
On April 7, 2016, Stuff Nation, an online New Zealand news site carried a report on some of the more radical proposals that have been made to deal with Wellington's street beggar problem. One of these is that those who give to beggars should be fined.
The full text of this report can be accessed at http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/assignments/11283957/Will-fining-those-who-give-to-beggars-work
In March, 2016, The Ethics Centre published a comment by James Farrell OAM, a lecturer at Deakin University School of Law, and the Director of the Queensland Association of Independent Legal Services Inc.
The comment is titled 'The Criminalisation of Poverty is Begging for Change'
The comment argues that begging should not be made illegal and argues that other steps are needed to support the poor.
The full text can be accessed at http://www.ethics.org.au/on-ethics/blog/march-2015-(1)/criminalisation-of-poverty-is-begging-for-change
On March 31, 2016, Sydney Criminal Lawyers Internet site posted an opinion piece titled 'Fining the Homeless for Begging'
The piece looks at homeless figures in South Australia and legal penalties applied in South Australia and Victoria. It argues that a reduction in federal government support for the disadvantaged has worsened the situation.
The full text can be accessed at http://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/fining-the-homeless-for-begging/
On November 2, 2015, The West Australian published a news report titled 'Big rise in beggars on Perth streets'
The report details increasing numbers of beggars in the Western Australian capital.
The full text can be accessed at https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/29966424/beggar-boom-in-perth-cbd/
On July 15, 2015, ABC News ran a report titled 'Professional beggars earning up to $400 a day and intimidating women, tourists in Melbourne CBD, Salvation Army report finds'
The report considers a recent finding that a small number of aggressive beggars are intimidating some of Melbourne's pedestrians.
The full text can be accessed at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-15/professional-beggars-intimidate-women-tourists-melbourne/6621824
On October 14, 2014, the ABC ran a news report titled 'Begging fines making matters worse for Melbourne's homeless, youth service says'
The report quotes spokespeople for the homeless support agency Youth Projects who argue that fining street beggars worsens their situation in a number of ways.
The full report can be accessed at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-18/begging-to-pay-for-begging-fines/5678214
On December 6, 2013, The Guardian carried a report titled 'Don't give money to beggars - help them instead'
The report focuses on the situation of beggars in Great Britain and argues that giving them money actually worsens their situation.
The full text can be accessed at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/06/dont-give-money-beggars-help-them
On January 25, 2012, The Conversation published an opinion piece by James Farrell, Lecturer in Law at Deakin University. The comment is titled 'Forget your coins, we want change: begging should not be a crime'
The comment argues against begging being treated as a crime.
The full text can be accessed at https://theconversation.com/forget-your-coins-we-want-change-begging-should-not-be-a-crime-4658
In June 2001 'A study of the extent and nature of begging in the City of Melbourne' by Michael Horn & Michelle Cooke of Hanover Welfare Services was released.
The report outlines the then extent of begging in Melbourne and the state and council initiatives that had been taken to deal with it.
The full text can be accessed at http://www.hanover.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/A-Question-of-Begging-June-2001.pdf
