Greens demand ban, as Minister ‘requests’ Councils dismantle noise deterrents that target homeless

Local councils have been warned to remove any “hostile” noise devices, days after the City of Perth and Public Transport Authority landed in hot water over a high-pitched tone meant to deter rough sleepers in East Perth.

The speaker at the Lord Street underpass near McIver Station was turned off on Tuesday, but devices have been found at other locations including a privately-owned Wilson carpark in the CBD.

The West Australian has obtained a memo sent by Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley to all local governments on Thursday.

“The installation of the noise device should not have occurred,” she said.

“It is a hostile measure and is not how people should be treated . . . if there are similar devices operating in your municipality it is requested that they are immediately switched off and dismantled.”

Greens MP Tim Clifford claims he found three devices in the CBD within 45 minutes on Wednesday.

“It’s really troubling that nothing has been done about them even after that story had broken,” he said.

“There needs to be tougher action taken. It’s welcome that they acknowledge that these are horrendous devices, but there needs to be a ban that’s enforceable so these devices won’t be deployed across the State.”

The office of Homelessness Minister Matthew Swinbourn has confirmed he was aware of the Lord Street device in mid-December last year, and was advised it was on Public Transport Authority land.

On Tuesday, the PTA said it would work with the City of Perth to “determine a more suitable way forward” in future.

The City of Perth said it requested the device due to reports of “anti-social and criminal behaviour” in the area, including from cyclists.

It’s not the first time a noise deterrent has caused controversy.

The City of Bunbury was slammed in 2023 after it played The Wiggles’ song Hot Potato on loop to deter people sleeping around a public amphitheatre. The Wiggles banned the city from playing their music.