In Perth hundreds of protesters rallying over a lack of public housing have been forced off the busy inner-city St Georges Terrace by mounted police.
The protesters were calling for more public housing as well as protesting the forced removal of homeless people from Heirisson Island last week.
Around 150 people were living in the camp when rangers and police dismantled and removed them on April 5.
Human rights advocate Gerry Georgatos said many of the evicted homeless are being constantly harassed.
Nyoongar man and protester Clinton Pryor said they are “making a stand” because they’ve “had enough of the raids” and that the state government could not stop people from returning to the island.
There are currently 18,523 applicants waiting for housing, with an average wait time of 151 weeks.
Housing authority general manager Greg Cash said the waiting list has declined since it peaked at 24,136 in 2009-10.
“The state government has invested $560 million in the Social Housing Investment Package to deliver an additional 1500 homes, including 1000 social housing properties, over the next two years.”
