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Food service flip

21/Sep/2009

By Adriana Tsovleas, Eastern Suburbs Reporter

Comments: 1 reader has left a comment

THE City of Bayswater has denied asking the Shopfront in Maylands to close and says its officers will help the organisation arrange a permit to provide food for homeless and disadvantaged people.

There were fears last week that the organisation, which is run by the Catholic Church using about 100 volunteers and provides food to these people,  would be forced to close because of a permit technicality.

The Shopfront had already put up signs alerting people that it could no longer serve food.

However, City of Bayswater chief executive Francesca Lefante, who said last week that the city had directed the Shopfront to stop serving food, has now clarified that it can continue its food service while applying for the permit.

Ms LeFante said the City of Bayswater recognised the valuable service provided by the Shopfront.

She had said the City contacted the organisation last week as it did not have approval to serve food.

“The Shopfront has planning approval to operate a referral office to direct their clients to support agencies,” she said.

“They can continue to operate as a referral centre, but they do not have and have never sought approval to act as a meal and food distribution centre.”

The centre, which also offers support, friendship and refuge sees about 1500 people each month.

Numbers have peaked in recent months as a result of the economic crisis.

Ms Lefante said there had been complaints about abusive behaviour, such as drunkenness, foul language and threatening behaviour associated with the meal service and the City had to address the issues.

Maylands MLA Lisa Baker had been aghast at the prospect of less services for disadvantaged people.

“The people they are working with are not vagrants – most of them are families in crisis or people with mental health issues,” she said.

“I don’t know what the City wants to achieve by being pedantic over a technicality when it means cutting off food from the people who rely on this valuable organisation.”

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What everyone else is thinking

Bob

22/09/2009

The provision of food for the needy is indeed a good thing. The Catholic church ought to abide be the laws of the land. Typical behavior of the Catholic church, good intentions but not attention to the realities of life.

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