An Australian woman says she lost her job after sharing a video online describing how she was fined for sleeping in a van on her own property. The incident highlights tensions between local camping laws and growing housing pressures.
The Confrontation on the Driveway
Belinda, 51, had been working as a contractor for Queensland’s Department of Housing since early last year. One morning in March, she was sleeping in a van parked in her own driveway on the Gold Coast. Her home was under construction at the time.
A council worker and a police officer knocked on her van door just after dawn. They warned her that sleeping in the van was illegal and could lead to an $806 fine. Belinda explained she owned the property and the house nearby was being renovated. Still, the authorities told her she was violating local laws and needed to move her van.
Video Leads to Job Loss
Shortly after the incident, Belinda posted a video online about what happened. A few days later, she says she received a call from her employment consultant at Randstad, the agency that had placed her with the Department of Housing.
“She told me, ‘The Department of Housing reached out and said you’re not allowed to return’,” Belinda said. When she asked if it was because of the video, the consultant confirmed it was. She also mentioned there was a social media clause involved, which Belinda said she hadn’t known about. Adding to the issue, Belinda had been wearing her Department of Housing lanyard in the video.
No Official Confirmation, No Income
Belinda requested written confirmation of her contract’s termination but has yet to receive any documentation. Her contract was supposed to run until June 30, but she was let go months early. Since she was technically a contractor employed by Randstad and not the Department of Housing, she cannot make a claim for unfair dismissal.
“I’ve got no income right now,” she said. “I don’t want to go on Centrelink. I can work. I just shared what happened to me. I didn’t break any laws knowingly.”
She also expressed frustration that she was punished for speaking up. “I’m being reprimanded because I informed my community about a ridiculous law on illegal camping,” she said.
Local Laws on Camping
The City of Gold Coast council told Yahoo News that sleeping in vehicles is considered illegal if it’s done in public areas, including local roads, parks, or driveways that are on public land between the property boundary and the curb.
“People found camping illegally are first educated about where they can stay legally before being asked to move on,” a spokesperson explained.
Agency and Government Response
Randstad confirmed Belinda is still a casual employee with them. However, they did not provide details about the end of her assignment with the Department of Housing. “Casual assignments can end at any time,” a Randstad spokesperson said. “Our employment relationship with her has not changed, and we are helping her find her next role.”
The Department of Housing also declined to comment on specific personnel matters. However, a spokesperson did state, “We can confirm that experiencing homelessness or using homelessness services is not a valid reason to terminate an employment contract.”
Neither Randstad nor the Department of Housing would comment on Belinda’s video or any breach of a social media clause.
Looking Forward
Belinda remains without work and is hoping to find a new job soon. She stands by her decision to speak out and believes the public should be aware of how such laws affect people, even when they are trying to manage temporary housing difficulties in legal and safe ways.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” she said. “I was on my own property, and I just wanted to share my experience.”
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