WA town stops playing Wiggles to deter rough sleepers

The Wiggles have objected to a WA council using their song Hot Potato to deter homeless people. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

A West Australian town has stopped playing Wiggles music in a bid to drive homeless people from a community space following an outcry from the band.

The City of Bunbury had been playing Hot Potato on loop at the Graham Bricknell Music Shell in the centre of the town, south of Perth.

But that was switched off after the Wiggles intervened on Thursday.

The band reportedly said its music was created to bring joy to children and it was disappointed to hear it was being used for another purpose.

The city initially defended its use of music, saying it had received reports of antisocial behaviour and damage at the music shell "due to people setting up camp".

It said music was a common and passive method used across the state to discourage people from congregating permanently in an area.

It also claimed it had been the victim of a break-in.

"Music has been played at the shell for more than six months without incident, however, it came to our attention (on Thursday) that someone had removed a padlock into the storage area of the shell and turned the volume of the music right up," the City of Bunbury said in a statement.

Housing and Homelessness Minister John Carey says homelessness requires a "collaborative approach".

It said the volume had been returned to an "acceptable level" on Thursday but by Friday morning it confirmed the music had been turned off permanently.

"Homelessness is a sensitive and complex issue which requires a holistic and collaborative approach," a statement said.

"We remain empathetic to those experiencing homelessness in our community as we continue to advocate with state government and work with local agencies to find a solution for all."

WA Housing and Homelessness Minister John Carey agreed, saying the City of Bunbury's use of the music at the music shell was "not a constructive way to assist the most vulnerable members of our community".

"All tiers of government - that's local, state and federal - have a responsibility when it comes to an issue as complex as homelessness," he said.

The Cook government has budgeted $2.6 billion for housing and homelessness measures across four years, including $225 million to address homelessness this financial year.

The City of Bunbury is a local government area with a population of about 76,000 people located approximately 180km south of Perth.