Community safety is a part of all aspects of our lives and is essential to health and wellbeing. It includes: 

• increasing community wellbeing and cohesion, and social and cultural inclusion 
• increasing opportunities for social and physical activity 
• improving public amenities 
• preventing and reducing hardship and insecure housing 
• preventing and reducing incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour. 

Our Council plays a role in:  

• fostering diversity, inclusion and social connection 
• activating public spaces through community grants and funding 
• providing supports for those experiencing hardship and insecure housing 
• maintaining and upgrading public amenities and addressing identified traffic blackspot issues 
• fostering strong partnerships with police and other emergency services, local traders and community groups 
• activating and revitalising our high streets 
• developing regulations to promote and maintain safety 
• maintaining safe public places through CCTV, Local Laws and joint patrols with Police, and partnerships with service providers. 

Council’s Community Safety Plan 2019-2025 outlines how we’re working towards building a safe and connected community where everyone feels safe to live, work and play. It includes actions that help build a safer and more welcoming City. The current plan can be viewed here.

The current Community Safety Plan is due to expire end of 2025 and is due for review.  Community safety is a priority for City of Port Phillip and contributes to positive health, social and economic outcomes for our community. The Community Safety Plan outlines the Council’s commitment to working in partnership with the community and key stakeholders to provide a safer and more vibrant community for all.

The new Plan aims to include community and stakeholder needs and priorities in relation to community safety across the municipality.

Yes. After this initial engagement period a new draft Community Safety Plan will be developed, based on feedback received. This new draft Plan will be shared with Councillors in September 2025 and then with the wider community in October 2025.

This second engagement phase will seek further feedback from the community on the draft Plan.

Safe and vibrant communities are important to everyone's health and wellbeing. The current Community Safety Plan contains three key priority areas:

• Creating safe spaces – we aim to ensure that our public spaces – including streets, bike paths and corridors, entertainment precincts, foreshore and parks - are safe and well-maintained.

• Building resilience – we aim to foster diversity, inclusion, connection and resilience for all members of the community, including the most vulnerable.

• Healthy living – we aim to support a diverse and vibrant entertainment economy while reducing incidents of harm.

You can read more about Community Safety at the City of Port Phillip here.

Maintaining a safe community is a shared responsibility and community safety is a very broad topic and involves a range of different factors and issues. Some of these areas are the direct responsibility of Council, some are outside of Council’s remit but might have local impacts and some aspects are external and addressed by organisations outside of Council.

City of Port Phillip works collaboratively with federal, state, community service organisations, business owners, and community members to continually improve safety in our municipality.

Victoria Police is responsible for public safety, law enforcement and crime prevention. Their responsibilities include:

• responding to calls for personal and public safety, emergencies, and serious incidents

• work to prevent crime through proactive community safety programs

• investigate offences

• provide visible presence within the community and at major events.

Federal and state governments are responsible for law and order, public health, public housing, public transport and emergency management. There are legislative requirements that outline these responsibilities.

We regularly raise community safety issues with state and federal MPs under our advocacy program. Recently our Mayor was among seven mayors from southeast councils to send an urgent joint letter to the Victorian Government with requests including an increase in frontline police resourcing in identified hotspots and greater visibility and more support for Neighbourhood Watch and local crime prevention initiatives.

We understand that Victoria Police has competing resource demands but were pleased to hear the new Chief Commissioner has publicly stated getting more frontline officers out on the streets and crime prevention are among his top priorities. Local police have indicated support for a potential encampment amendment and to investigate a protocol with Council and service providers to guide what would happen if a no camping area was temporarily designated.  

Council’s local law officers can issue warnings, Notices to Comply and infringement notices to people or organisations who breach the Local Law. The Local Law officers conduct daily patrols at key locations throughout the municipality and can address amenity issues such as clearing obstructed pathways and removing abandoned belongings. If they come across people sleeping rough, they will offer to connect vulnerable people to relevant service providers for further support. They do not have the legal power to move people on or respond to criminal behaviour. That responsibility lies with the Victoria Police who have the relevant training and equipment to manage such issues.

Public places can be designed to discourage criminal activity by ensuring there is more chance for offenders to be seen, challenged, or caught; reducing opportunities for criminal activity; and creating a need for more effort to commit a crime, with limited rewards. This approach is referred to as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).  

Spaces that are inviting and appealing, have good lighting, clear lines of sight, and a sense of ownership by the community can help people to feel safe, and prevent crime. All space, even if well planned and well-designed, need to be effectively used and maintained to maximise community safety.

Council works toward this through upgrading public infrastructure such as bike corridors, footpaths, parks, and signage. Council also has a focus on improving and maintaining a high standard of lighting across the city.  Further, council has a program of street activation, festivals and events, and supported community activities.

 At the Community Safety Roundtable discussions in March, Victoria Police reported crime rates have risen 19 per cent in Port Phillip over the last year.  The top five offences (by number) were: stealing from a motor vehicle, other theft, criminal damage, motor vehicle theft and residential non-aggravated burglary.

Council has CCTV cameras across 4 areas in the municipality. CCTV cameras are one tool that is used to prevent crime. While Council is responsible for the infrastructure of the CCTV camera system, Victoria Police are responsible for the day-to-day operations and monitoring of the network. Council does not have access to the images or videos from the cameras and Victoria Police owns all the footage. More information can be found here.

If you are feeling unsafe or there is a crime or safety incident, then the first point of call should be Victoria Police or other emergency services, on Triple Zero (000).

Non-urgent crimes and events can be reported to the Police Assistance Line 131 444. To report non-urgent crime information confidentially you can call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.

Council should be called for public space maintenance requests, local health and safety issues, and alcohol restriction non-compliance.

In the City of Port Phillip there are a number of service providers who can assist people with insecure housing. For more details, please refer to Housing and homelessness support services - City of Port Phillip. Council does not offer a homelessness service but provides information and guidance on where people experiencing homelessness can find further support. Council has also contributed funding to a number of social housing projects including Wellington Street Common Ground Project.

Maintaining a safe community is a shared responsibility and community safety is a very broad topic and involves a range of different factors and issues. Some of these areas are the direct responsibility of Council, some are outside of Council’s remit but might have local impacts and some aspects are external and addressed by organisations outside of Council.

We work collaboratively with federal, state, community service organisations, business owners, and community members to continually improve safety in our municipality. Examples of what we do include continuing to provide significant support to housing initiatives, such as the Wellington Street Common Ground project for rough sleepers to open this year; keeping public spaces clean, well-lit and inviting to attract foot traffic; and renewing our public CCTV network.

Current service agreements with local services total more than $1 million across 11 agencies for those who are vulnerable to, or are, experiencing homelessness. We have four full-time staff in Community Building and Inclusion running Port Phillip Zero, administering the sponsored Housing List and implementing the current Community Safety Plan and In Our Back Yard affordable housing strategy.

There are many services that offer support and information to support someone to secure accommodation quickly and work towards longer term housing. Many of the crisis support agencies are available for drop in contact or can be reached by phone to make an appointment, some also are open after hours. For their details, see below:

Salvation Army 1800 627 727

Sacred Heart Mission 03 9537 1166

Launch Housing 1800 825 955.

You can also refer to the list of Support Services in the tab entitled 'Do you need support?' on this project page.

The Community Safety Roundtable convened by our Council is one input to the new, wide-ranging Community Safety Plan (CSP) we are developing. The Roundtable attendees play an invaluable role in supporting people experiencing homelessness and the safety and amenity of our City. Attendees were asked by the Chair, Ian Gray, what more our Council could do to make our community safer and how we could work better together. This involved identifying actions, collaborations, services gaps and opportunities to improve safety for all in our City.

Councillors attended the final session to hear first-hand the ideas raised. The participants’ conversations, ideas and submissions informed Ian Gray's report to be presented at the 21 May Council Meeting.

The Roundtable was convened in response to community safety issues and concerns throughout the municipality. Specifically, it was formed after Council endorsed a motion on 11 December 2024 including:

That Council:

1.      Reaffirms its commitment to a safe, liveable and just community.

2.      Requests that City of Port Phillip initiate a round table of key stakeholders, incorporating the City of Port Phillip, health, housing, community legal and social service providers, Victoria Police and other relevant stakeholders or recognised expertise to examine the current situation and review place-based models to address community safety issues in our high streets and surrounding areas.

3.      Requests that the round table:

a)    Provide advice and case studies from other jurisdictions on community outreach models and consider opportunities to ensure best practice in the City of Port Phillip.

b)      Provide advice and case studies from other Council jurisdictions on how Local Laws can be used to provide community safety and protect the amenity of public spaces within the City of Port Phillip. The advice is to include consideration of Police protocols and operations with the City of Melbourne and their applicability to the City of Port Phillip.

c)      Review the merit and feasibility of establishing an ongoing alliance to continue this work over the next four years.

d)      Provide recommendations to Council on the above within the short and long-term.

4.      Requests that the Mayor write to the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police seeking advice and recommendations on Local Laws in the City of Port Phillip, and a proposal on how any changes to the Local Laws would be used and work in practice.

5.      Notes that officers have commenced work on the update of the City of Port Phillip’s Community Safety Plan including opportunities for the public to share their lived experiences in relation to community safety and that Councillors will be updated on this regularly.

Ian Gray AM was asked by Council to chair the Community Safety Roundtable based on his experience. Ian is a long-time Port Phillip resident and brings extensive experience in the legal, justice, and community sectors. He served as Victoria’s Chief Magistrate, a County Court Judge, and State Coroner.

In 2021 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant contributions to law and Indigenous justice. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Victoria University. Ian has been a tireless advocate for social justice throughout his career, holding key roles in legal and community services.

Ian Gray AM to Chair Community Safety Roundtable next month - City of Port Phillip

More than 20 service providers and Victoria Police representatives attended the Community Safety Roundtable. The attendees were:

• First Step
• Housing First
• South Port Community Housing Group
• Launch Housing
• St Kilda Community Housing
• Ngwala Willumbong Aboriginal Corporation
• Port Phillip Community Group
• Sacred Heart Mission
• Better Health Network
• Windana
• Salvation Army / Access Health
• Alfred Health
• South Port Community Legal
• Southside Justice
• Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association
• Neighbourhood Justice Centre
• Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association
• Victoria Police.

The Council resolution of 11 December 2024 asked for the establishment of a roundtable with health, housing, community legal and social service providers, Victoria Police and other relevant stakeholders to examine the current situation and review models to address community safety issues in our high streets and surrounding areas. Based on this resolution, invitations were only issued to service providers and Police.

Broader community engagement on community safety will take place as part of the development of the Community Safety Plan, commencing on 22 May. The Roundtable report and recommendations have been made publicly available ahead of being tabled at the 21 May Council meeting.  

Roundtable Chair, Ian Gray, met with a representative group of residents from the Plan for Port Phillip community deliberative panel, to help him understand the varied community views on this topic. He also listened to the 27 November and 11 December Council meetings where residents raised concerns about community safety in public question time.  

Roundtable Chair, Ian Gray, met with members of the Business Advisory Group and trader associations in Port Phillip to gather their feedback and help him understand the trader views on community safety. 

Councillors were invited to attend the final session of the Roundtable on 19 March to hear the summary of discussions from each table. These discussions contributed to the development of the recommendations.  

Some operational actions will be delivered as soon as practicable. Recommendations will be considered by Council in the development of the new Community Safety Plan, alongside relevant budget requirements.  

The proposed amendment would provide Council with the ability to temporarily designate an area as a 'no encampment' area in consultation with key stakeholders if it is determined that:

a) The amenity of the Council land or the amenity of land in the vicinity of the Council land is or is likely to be adversely affected; or

b) The safety or welfare of a person is or is likely to be put at risk by behaviours of persons congregating on Council land with the intention or apparent intention of camping or sleeping there.

The proposed amendment would note that:

a) such a designation could be considered an exceptional circumstance after existing and enhanced assertive outreach models with service providers and supportive conversations had failed.

b) that enforcement of the potential amendment would not include fines, but instead, the removal and impoundment of equipment following provision of outreach and support services, where individuals have refused both a request and then warning to remove the material from the designated area.

The survey on this project page includes questions about your level of support for this proposed approach. Feedback will inform Council’s decision around progressing to legislated community engagement (the next stage of Local Law amendment requirements).

Council’s local law officers can issue warnings, Notices to Comply and infringement notices to people or organisations who breach the Local Law. The Local Law officers conduct daily patrols at key locations throughout the municipality and can address amenity issues such as clearing obstructed pathways and removing abandoned belongings. If they come across people sleeping rough, they will offer to connect vulnerable people to relevant service providers for further support. They do not have the legal power to move people on or respond to criminal behaviour. That responsibility lies with the Victoria Police who have the relevant training and equipment to manage such issues.

No, we are not proposing to fine people who are experiencing homelessness. While infringements are one of the only tools we have to encourage compliance with Council Local Laws, we always take an ask, tell, enforce approach to cases, to ensure we give people a chance to understand what they are required to do and to do this as soon as possible. As outlined in the Council reports tabled at the 21 May Council meeting, it is not recommended that amendments to the Local Law result in issuing fines to people experiencing homelessness.

No. Council officers, including Local Law officers, are not authorised to move people on from a public place. Council’s Local Laws officers are authorised to issue warnings, Notices to Comply and infringement notices to people and organisations who breach the Local Law. They may impound items, goods, or equipment in relation to a breach. They do not have the legal power to move people on or respond to criminal behaviour.

Victoria Police are the only authority that can respond to breaches of the Summary Offences Act and can give directions to "move on" when they believe the individual "is likely to breach the peace" or "is likely to endanger the safety of another person".

Merri-bek and Port Phillip are the only councils with an exemption for rough sleepers to their Camping on Public Land Local Law. Melbourne has a protocol with Victoria Police around dealing with community safety issues.

Most other Councils have homelessness protocols, guidelines or alliances to support people experiencing homelessness without issuing infringements as a primary method of enforcement.

Each Council has discretion on how to apply their Local Laws, and most primarily focus on reducing anti-social behaviour and removing items obstructing access to public spaces.

It is not recommended that Council remove the exemption across all public spaces, as Council’s legal advice is that the amendments proposed by Council in the resolution in February 2025 (as outlined above) may not contradict State legislation but are unlikely to achieve their intended purpose because of doubt over whether camping is, in fact, interfering with the reasonable enjoyment of others. Any enforcement action therefore risks being overturned at court.

Complete removal of the exemption would also then apply to any individual person sleeping rough, rather than specifically target the issue of encampments that have been a primary source of concern for community members and police.

A protocol between Council, police, and service providers would ensure rough sleepers are given the opportunity to seek assistance from welfare organisations before not being allowed to camp at a particular location. Local Laws officers would support police in removing any items which assist an encampment or living arrangement. Moving people on is not a matter for Local Laws and falls under state legislation. Further discussions about the role of police if an area is designated as no camping would be undertaken in developing the protocol. Property left behind by rough sleepers at a designated no camping area would be impounded by Council to keep public spaces unimpeded, clean, and safe. Personal or valuable items can be stored upon request. We are very careful to not throw away any valuable or personal items and have a process for storing and returning property.

Council prioritises care for rough sleepers and vulnerable members of our community, through a range of support services and partnerships. More information on these services and the Port Phillip Zero project can be found on the Homelessness page. This potential amendment relates only to a situation where community safety and amenity is being impacted and is focused only on encampments – where three or more rough sleepers are gathered.

This potential change is intended as a last resort after warnings by Council and offers of support by welfare service providers have been provided to rough sleepers. Alongside this potential amendment, Council will be engaging with key stakeholders and the community on a range of recommendations from the Community Safety Roundtable aimed at reducing and providing better support to rough sleepers.

We have received legal advice that the potential amendment does not conflict with the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities. You can view this legal advice here. The Charter recognises that in some circumstances one person’s right may come into conflict with the right of another person or group. In these circumstances it can be necessary to limit or restrict these rights. This will be further investigated if the amendment progresses to consultation.