PCLC has joined with other community legal centres and human rights organisations to call for the Victorian Government to remove the offence of begging[1] from Victoria’s criminal law. Criminalising begging punishes vulnerable community members who are driven by desperation and unable to access adequate social supports, without evidence that criminalisation reduces the incidence of begging. Most other Australian states and territories have already decriminalised begging, and we urge our government to follow their lead.
Instead of prosecuting vulnerable community members, we urge stronger investment in frontline support services and housing to address the underlying causes of begging.
Read the open letter to the Victorian Attorney-General here.
Quotes attributable to Jackie Galloway OAM, CEO of Peninsula Community Legal Centre:
“Begging is not a lifestyle choice. Evidence shows people who beg experience high levels of hardship and intersecting complex needs, including homelessness, mental health issues, family violence and acute financial hardship. On the flip side, there is no evidence that criminalising begging stops desperate people from begging on Victoria’s streets. Criminalisation only serves to punish Victoria’s most vulnerable community members during the current housing and cost of living crises.
“Charging desperate people with begging offences benefits no-one. We know it is common for begging charges to eventually be dismissed by a court, but usually only after extended legal proceedings. It is a waste of government and community resources for these community members to be prosecuted, exacerbating hardship and distress for individuals charged without any community benefit”.
“Victoria is an outlier by continuing to make begging a criminal offence. New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and the ACThave decriminalised begging. We lag behind with South Australia and the Northern Territory”.
“As the Christmas season approaches, we call on the Victorian Government to repeal the current anti-begging law and respond to hardship through investment in frontline support services and housing, which would address the underlying drivers of begging”.
For more information, please contact Jackie Galloway, CEO, PCLC
m: 0418 517 124, e: jgalloway@pclc.org.au
[1] Begging (or “begging or gathering alms”) is an offence under Section 49A of the Victorian Summary Offences Act 1966, punishable by up to 12 months imprisonment.
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