Arabic version: مخزن إيفرتون بارك يواجه تحقيقاً من المجلس بشأن الرصيف

According to ABC News, Brisbane City Council is investigating the Everton Park Community Pantry after receiving four complaints from residents about safety concerns and restricted footpath access. The pantry, set up outside a South Pine Road home in 2024, provides free rescued food to people in need.

Nelika McDonald and her husband James Paterson run the pantry, which receives produce from grocers, bakeries and farms that would otherwise have gone to landfill. Its kerbside items include a cabinet of canned food, a table, a donation bin and a shelter, and volunteers stock it twice each day.

Ms McDonald said a council officer visited on Wednesday and told her she was illegally “depositing articles” on council land. She said volunteers keep the footpath clear for pedestrians and that she was upset to learn the pantry had been reported after operating for two years. She said the service supported people experiencing pressure from the cost-of-living crisis.

Cath Mulcahy said the pantry helped feed her after she became homeless in 2024 and was living in her car. She said she found food there when she could not afford to eat, and had formed friendships with other pantry users, including people who were homeless. Ms Mulcahy said many users were increasingly older women.

A Brisbane City Council spokesperson said discussions with the Everton Park Community Pantry were ongoing. The council said it recognised the support provided by the pantry and its volunteers, while prioritising the safety of volunteers, users, pedestrians and other road users. It said it wanted to find a practical way forward that allowed the work to continue while addressing the concerns raised.