High-pitched noise used to deter rough sleepers under trouble-plagued Perth bridge

The Cook government was surprised by a City of Perth and Public Transport Authority decision to install speakers and play a high-pitched noise to deter people from setting up tents at a popular homeless encampment site on a cycle path in East Perth.

The Public Transport Authority said it had installed speakers at the request of the City of Perth that played a high-pitched noise 24/7 under the Lord Street overpass, 150 metres north-east of McIver train station.

The City of Perth backed its decision to deploy the technology but said the PTA had operational management of it.

Premier Roger Cook said the decision to act on the City’s request was made at a “lower level of the agency” and was not one his government would have taken.

“That decision did not go up the chain of authority or the chain of management,” he said.

“Obviously, this is not what we do in Western Australia. We try to avoid persecuting or making life uncomfortable for people who are homeless and already experiencing a great deal of discomfort.”

The area around that site has been a popular spot for rough sleepers to set up camp in previous years, but large fences have been erected, resulting in tents being set up alongside the cyclepath.

After the noise was investigated by homelessness advocates the PTA switched off the noise on Tuesday morning.

Hostile architecture and the use of noise and music to deter anti-social behaviour has been mired in controversy with the City of Bunbury forced to apologise in 2023 for playing The Wiggles’ Hot Potato on loop in the Bricknell Music Shell, which was a popular spot for the city’s homeless to gather.

A City of Perth spokeswoman said it installed the devices in response to reports of anti-social and criminal behaviour concerns.

“The device forms one part of a broader safety approach and was implemented in response to requests for action to help improve the safe use of the space. It is not intended to target or deter people experiencing homelessness,” she said.

“We recognise this is a sensitive issue and remain committed to balancing safety, accessibility and the respectful use of public spaces for everyone in the community.”

Housing Minister and Perth MP John Carey, who is a former homelessness minister, said the use of the noise at the East Perth underpass caught him by surprise, and he only became aware of it on Tuesday morning.

He said the use of hostile approaches to deter rough sleepers was not endorsed by his government, but he was aware that pocket of Perth had been an area of concern.

“I wasn’t aware of it so it has caught me by surprise. But what hasn’t caught me by surprise has been the challenges at that particular pocket. It is well known by the local community,” he said.

“The advice just given to me is that the PTA has now turned it off, and that the PTA will be working with the City of Perth.

“More broadly as the local member, I am aware of this underpass there has been significant concerns raised by the local community, including assaults of local residents.

“I personally had a woman contact me, a local constituent who had been assaulted there. So clearly, there’s work to be done in improving the safety around the underpass.”

Carey said there were better ways to deter anti-social behaviour, including through improved lighting and beefing up homeless outreach.

“We increased funding for homelessness outreach. We’ve got Common Ground. We want to assist people to transition off our streets, but we also still face anti-social behaviour issues in particular pockets,” he said.

A PTA spokeswoman said the City of Perth requested the installation of a noise device at the Lord Street underpass.

“The noise device has been turned off. We will be working with the City of Perth to determine a more suitable way forward,” he said.

Homelessness advocate Jesse Noakes questioned how Carey would feel if that noise was playing outside his house all night.

“Will he fix the root cause of homelessness, safe and secure housing tenancies which is what his local community is actually demanding?” he said.

Shelter WA chief executive Kath Snell said the use of the device was disturbing and her organisation condemned it.

“Moving people on is not a person-centred response and only makes the problem worse, forcing people into areas further from the city and services, and potentially more dangerous or unsanitary areas,” she said.

“Hostile architecture reinforces stigma and can make it even harder for people to access support.“

Greens homelessness spokesman Tim Clifford called on the government to conduct a review into how and why the speakers were approved.

The City of Perth was approached for comment.

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