Overview
- The Public Transport Authority confirmed it switched off the high‑pitched deterrent on Tuesday morning and will work with the City of Perth on a more suitable approach.
- Speakers had emitted a persistent ringing 24 hours a day under the Lord Street overpass near McIver train station.
- The City of Perth said it sought the device following reports of antisocial and criminal behavior and described it as part of a broader safety strategy not aimed at homeless people.
- WA leaders, including Homelessness Minister Matthew Swinbourn, Housing Minister John Carey and Premier Roger Cook, criticized the tactic as hostile and pointed to options such as lighting and expanded outreach.
- Advocates and rough sleepers described the sound as painful and dehumanizing, and experts linked the move to wider debates over hostile architecture, citing Bunbury’s 2023 music deterrent as a precedent.