Minister set to consider swag of safety reforms

THE fire risk of swags, which are being used by people sleeping rough in Dandenong, are set to be raised with the Consumer Affairs Minister.
MP Gabrielle Williams has thrown her weight behind a welfare worker who is calling for safety regulations to protect homeless people.
She said she will address the issue with Jane Garrett.
Her support comes after concerns were raised by Cornerstone Contact Centre co-ordinator Don Cameron who has been handing out backpack beds from swags.org.au for the past five years.
He said other beds did not adequately shelter street sleepers and were flammable.
“I have seen one product burst into flames myself,” he said.
“There are standards for disaster relief products and standards for what can be used in prisons, but currently no Australian standards for products that claim to be made for street sleepers.
“I believe that we should treat our homeless people at least as well as we look after our worst criminals.
“We hope to give one to every homeless person we meet.”
Ms Williams told the Journal she’d spoken to Mr Cameron about the issue and would raise it with the Minister.
A phone call from Community Support Frankston manager Steve Phillips prompted Mr Cameron to voice his concerns.
Mr Phillips asked a charity that had offered its assistance to spend fund-raising dollars on swags.
“Instead of going to swags.org.au they went and bought street swags which are a very different product,” Mr Cameron said.
“Steve was extremely disappointed and would not hand out any of the street swags to street sleepers due to their impracticality and the dangers associated with them.
“He could not get any money back from them and he eventually called Tony and Lisa who sell the backpack beds that he was after and they supplied him with some free ones to hand out.
“The backpack beds meet the Oxfam and UN international standards as well as the Australian standards for bedding given out after emergencies such as fires or floods.”
– CASEY NEILL