Ziggy the bagman
Encyclopedia
Zbygnew Marian Willzek or Ziggy the bagman as he is known, is a homeless man who can be found in Toowong, Queensland
, Brisbane
, Australia
. Ziggy objects to being labelled as "homeless" as he does not ask for food, money or clothing and actually enjoys his current living conditions, despite being without a home of his own and living in a public park. More recently he has gained much media attention, becoming a controversial issue in two consecutive local elections. He has become a sort of celebrity around the city, known to many as a kind man, and has occasionally been featured on news reports as a commentator on the various happenings in Brisbane
. He is arguably a Brisbane icon and is so well-known that he even attracts tourists.
nationality. His name was later changed to Tim Jenkins. It is unknown when exactly he became homeless, but he became known by the locals as either "Tim" or "Ziggy". "Ziggy the bagman" became his nickname throughout his ongoing media coverage.
He entered public view in the year 2000 with the then Lord Mayor
Jim Soorley
protesting the complaints of several Toowong businesses requesting that he be removed on the grounds that he was bad for business and his low levels of hygiene attracted rats. Soorley claimed that he was completely within the law in his position. As he gained attention, he was in increased danger, with his small home being attacked several times by various groups demanding his removal from Toowong. His publicity only grew and since then has featured in local news reports several times.
Early in 2004 he was the subject of "Operation Ziggy", an effort by ABC
presenter (from 612 AM) Spencer Howson
to find him a home. After being interviewed on air, it was revealed that Ziggy was not so willing to be a party to this scheme and so the plan collapsed.
Later that year a portrait of him painted by local artist Bruce Chapman was entered in the Archibald Prize. His only requested payment was eight Australian Dollars worth of food, including ice cream
, several biscuits
and a bottle of soft drink
. Ziggy also gave an interview for a similar fee of $10.
During the month of July of that year, he is said to have had his first shower and his home became too messy by his own self imposed rules; the police were called in to help clean up and Ziggy promised to move by Christmas
. He found a new spot in a local barbecue area, remaining in Toowong. After more attacks on him midway through 2005, new calls were made to have him taken off the streets, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman
insists, just as his predecessor did, that Ziggy is breaking no laws and will not be forced to move, despite Newman's personal hopes that he could be moved to a "proper place". In December 2005 his possessions were confiscated by police due to smell and vermin.
In July 2006 Ziggy moved on from his High street location to a new spot at Oakman park. Radio News reported that he moved because of attacks at his old location.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Ziggy objects to being labelled as "homeless" as he does not ask for food, money or clothing and actually enjoys his current living conditions, despite being without a home of his own and living in a public park. More recently he has gained much media attention, becoming a controversial issue in two consecutive local elections. He has become a sort of celebrity around the city, known to many as a kind man, and has occasionally been featured on news reports as a commentator on the various happenings in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. He is arguably a Brisbane icon and is so well-known that he even attracts tourists.
Biography
Despite the lack of information pertaining to his early life it is known that Ziggy the bagman was born as Zbygnew Marian Wilzcek in the early 1950s and was of a PolishPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
nationality. His name was later changed to Tim Jenkins. It is unknown when exactly he became homeless, but he became known by the locals as either "Tim" or "Ziggy". "Ziggy the bagman" became his nickname throughout his ongoing media coverage.
He entered public view in the year 2000 with the then Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
Jim Soorley
Jim Soorley
James Gerard Soorley is a former Australian politician. He served as Australian Labor Party Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 1991 to 2003. Soorley is a former Roman Catholic Priest and continues to be a strong human rights advocate...
protesting the complaints of several Toowong businesses requesting that he be removed on the grounds that he was bad for business and his low levels of hygiene attracted rats. Soorley claimed that he was completely within the law in his position. As he gained attention, he was in increased danger, with his small home being attacked several times by various groups demanding his removal from Toowong. His publicity only grew and since then has featured in local news reports several times.
Early in 2004 he was the subject of "Operation Ziggy", an effort by ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
presenter (from 612 AM) Spencer Howson
Spencer Howson
Spencer Howson is the "Breakfast" radio presenter on 612 ABC Brisbane, an ABC Local Radio station in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
to find him a home. After being interviewed on air, it was revealed that Ziggy was not so willing to be a party to this scheme and so the plan collapsed.
Later that year a portrait of him painted by local artist Bruce Chapman was entered in the Archibald Prize. His only requested payment was eight Australian Dollars worth of food, including ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
, several biscuits
Cookie
In the United States and Canada, a cookie is a small, flat, baked treat, usually containing fat, flour, eggs and sugar. In most English-speaking countries outside North America, the most common word for this is biscuit; in many regions both terms are used, while in others the two words have...
and a bottle of soft drink
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
. Ziggy also gave an interview for a similar fee of $10.
During the month of July of that year, he is said to have had his first shower and his home became too messy by his own self imposed rules; the police were called in to help clean up and Ziggy promised to move by Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. He found a new spot in a local barbecue area, remaining in Toowong. After more attacks on him midway through 2005, new calls were made to have him taken off the streets, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman
Campbell Newman
Campbell Kevin Thomas Newman is the leader of the Liberal National Party of Queensland. He was the 15th Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 2004 to 2011....
insists, just as his predecessor did, that Ziggy is breaking no laws and will not be forced to move, despite Newman's personal hopes that he could be moved to a "proper place". In December 2005 his possessions were confiscated by police due to smell and vermin.
In July 2006 Ziggy moved on from his High street location to a new spot at Oakman park. Radio News reported that he moved because of attacks at his old location.