Beloved Australian children’s performers The Wiggles have taken a community by storm by using their music to deter homeless people from congregating at a bandstand.
The town of Bunbury in Western Australia is playing classic hit Hot Potato 24-7 on the outdoor stage of the Graham Bricknell Memorial Music Shell in a desperate bid to drive homeless people out of the area.
In recent years, the stage has become a haven for street residents.
The Wiggles have asked the council to no longer use their music for that purpose.
A spokesperson for the group said they were “deeply disappointed” to learn how their song – which they recorded to bring joy to children and families – was being used.
The Wiggles have denounced the city of Bunbury’s decision to use their famous song Hot Potato to scare homeless people away from a bandstand
Shelter WA chief executive Kath Snell called the City of Bunbury’s actions ‘appallingly cruel’ and implored the council to consider alternative solutions.
The council defended the use of the song, claiming it was standard practice and a passive way to remove people from the area.
People are moved as the council said there had been an increase in anti-social behavior on the stand.
Bunbury Mayor Jaysen Miguel said there had been an increase in reports of anti-social behavior and damage to the stage and surrounding area as more people camped at the site.
“Graham Bricknell Memorial Music Shell is a community space where people should feel safe to visit and meet,” he said WA Today.
“While the city continues to work with police and relevant agencies on the broader issue of homelessness, we also have a responsibility to provide a safe, healthy and connected community for all our residents.”
The council plays the famous tune at the Graham Bricknell Memorial Music Shell (pictured) in an effort to drive out the homeless
Cr. Miguel said the music had been played in the conch “for over six months without incident,” but someone reportedly broke into the bandstand’s storage area and “turned the volume of the music all the way up.”
“The city has now rectified this and brought the music back to an acceptable level,” he added.
An advocacy group is expected to contact the City of Bunbury to propose other ways to tackle homelessness.
The council previously came under fire for using the late Peter Allen’s 1976 hit parade I Go to Rio in 2016 for the same reason.
Bunbury Labor MP Don Punch criticized the decision at the time, saying it was not the right solution to solving the homelessness problem.
Ny Breaking Australia has contacted City of Bunbury and The Wiggles for comment.
Bunbury Mayor Jaysen Miguel (pictured) defended the use of the song, saying there had been an increase in anti-social behavior at the venue