The local residents’ action group
“Hands off Glebe” held a protest on May 18 to stop the demolition of
public housing in Cowper St, Glebe. The 15 buildings on the Cowper St site have
the capacity to house 289 people but the former NSW Labor government decided to
sell most of the land to private developers, with the remnant being earmarked
for new public and so called affordable housing. The newly-elected Greens MP
for Balmain, Jamie Parker, joined and addressed the protest. Workers on the
site stopped work for the day in support.
“We have pointed out to the NSW
government that there is no development approval for replacement buildings. We
face the prospect of the area being an empty space for years”, said Denis
Doherty for the residents’ group.
“This project was a travesty imposed
on us by the incompetent former NSW Government and it is time that the new
Government reversed this stupid decision.
“We have appealed to unions and to
the Minister and also to the local member Jamie Parker to act to call off the
demolition workers.
“This is one of the first real tests
of the Minister for Family and Community Services, and Minister for Women Pru
Goward. Will she act to preserve public housing in the city area where
homelessness is at an all time high?
“What is happening in our view is
that perfectly liveable housing is being senselessly demolished in the middle
of a housing crisis. With the outlay a small amount we would immediately have
the facilities to house 289 people.”
What is happening in Glebe, Doherty
added, is just one small part of a drive to force public housing tenants out of
the city. It is also happening in Redfern, Waterloo and Millers Point. Poor
people have always lived in the city, and removing public housing only forces
more of them into homelessness, he said.
See pictures at: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/47607