Australians are expressing outrage over a controversial device that emits loud, sharp noises intended to deter homeless individuals from finding shelter beneath a bridge.
Over the weekend, the Perth Council installed this technology at the Lord Street Bridge underpass, situated near a train line in East Perth.
The device produces a high-pitched, buzzing sound specifically engineered to be uncomfortable for human ears.
Reports indicate that the device was deactivated by Tuesday morning.
Jesse Noakes, who operates the independent media outlet The Last Place on Earth, shared an audio clip capturing the unpleasant noise.
“It’s exceptionally sharp. It’s almost painful, and that’s exactly the point,” he commented, visibly covering his ears.
‘[Council] want it to be painful for people who are thinking of coming and rolling out a sleeping bag, or chucking a tent on the side of this bike path.
‘That is an audible anti-homeless device. Hostile architecture, built in.
Footage has circulated on social media of shrill sound devices in Perth
The technology is used to deter homeless people
‘What they’ve done is install some kind of device that is emitting a high-pitched buzzing noise, a shriek.’
Hostile architecture – also referred to as anti-homeless design – is the adaptation of public spaces to deter people from loitering or sleeping.
This can include spikes in doorways, dividers on benches or sloped seats to stop someone from lying down.
Social media users were quick to condemn the devices, highlighting it would be distressing for animals as well as people.
‘That is a disgusting thing for the council to do,’ one said.
Another said: ‘How about they spend money on actually helping the homeless.’
A third added: ‘In their effort to prevent homeless people from sleeping rough in certain places, they’ve made it hostile to all people.
‘What about native animals in the area? Are they damaged too? It’s cruel.’
The noise, which was described as piercing, was heard in the underpass at Lord Street Bridge
Campaigner and journalist Jessie Noakes described the devices as ‘hostile architecture’ – the adaptation of public spaces to deter people from loitering or sleeping (stock image)
According to Matthew Swain, who has been sleeping rough for two years, he has heard the noise in several areas of Perth.
‘It’s definitely really loud under the underpass,’ he told 7News.
‘I don’t go and stay there because I don’t like encroaching on other people’s spots, and that’s like a known spot for, you know, some crew.’
‘I couldn’t stay there with that noise and like where I went to stay last night and was setting up in one of the car parks, one of the Wilson’s car parks, I noticed the noise, not quite at that level, but yeah, had to leave pretty much straight away.’
Daily Mail contacted Perth Council and the Public Transport Authority (PTA), which manages the sound devices, for comment.
A spokesman for PTA told news.com.au the devices are no longer emitting sound.
‘The City of Perth requested the installation of a noise device at the Lord Street underpass,’ he said.
‘The noise device has been turned off. We will be asking the City of Perth to determine a more suitable way forward.’
In 2023, the City of Bunbury played The Wiggles’ Hot Potato on loop at the Graham Bricknell Music Shell outdoor stage in the centre of the town, south of Perth
The council said the device was part of a ‘broad safety approach’ after ‘ongoing reports of antisocial and criminal behaviour and community concerns about safety in the area’.
‘The City’s focus remains on improving safety and amenity for all users of the area,’ the spokesman said.
‘This includes increased security patrols, the installation of CCTV and the deployment of mobile CCTV trailers to support safer access and use of the underpass.’
This is not the first time WA has seen a controversial use of loud sounds to deter homeless people.
In 2023, the City of Bunbury played The Wiggles’ Hot Potato on loop at the Graham Bricknell Music Shell outdoor stage in the town centre, south of Perth.
But that was switched off after the Wiggles intervened, saying the music was created to bring joy to children.
The band said it was disappointed to hear it was being used for another purpose.
