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April 10, 2014
‘Big battle’ looms over public housing: Mayor
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By Michael Koziol Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne is preparing residents and community organisers for a “big battle” to save public housing in the inner city. The state government recently announced it will sell hundreds of homes on valuable land in Millers Point, displacing around 300 tenants including many elderly residents. At a meeting tonight, April 10, Cr Byrne will tell an audience at Balmain Town Hall that Pru Goward, Minister for Family and Community Services, has refused to rule out further sell-offs across the city. “The obvious and legitimate concern is that having decided the Millers Point community should be decimated and sold off, Pru Goward and Barry O’Farrell will see a similar opportunity in places like Balmain,” the Labor mayor told the Inner West Independent. More than 1100 public housing dwellings are located in the Leichhardt local government area, particularly in Balmain. Cr Byrne said there wasn’t much difference in land value between the two areas and that Ms Goward won’t rule out more liquidations. “It’s clear that she thinks she can steamroll over the top of tenants without any political consequences,” he said. Cr Byrne admitted that “state governments of all persuasions” have failed to invest sufficiently in housing construction and maintenance. But he said the current government believes “poor people don’t deserve to live in the inner city”. “I think Pru Goward’s real hope is to see them all end up in Mount Druitt.” But Balmain public housing resident Marie* disagreed with that assertion. She said the state government’s decision makes sense because the age of the Millers Point buildings, similar to her own in Nicholson Street,, means the cost of upkeep is very high.
“Honestly, the maintenance being spent on these buildings is enormous,” Marie told the Inner West Independent. “We all pay a charge incorporated in our rent but it’s not enough when you’re dealing with old and decrepit buildings.” Were the government to announce a sell-off in Balmain, Marie acknolwedged she wouldn’t want to move. But she said she understands the justification and is certain that the day will come. “[Balmain] will be next. There’s no question about that. “Provided Housing [NSW] then relocates the tenants, which it’s willing to do, I really can’t see how we can fight that. We’re tenants of the government. You can’t be too militant about it.” Lisa Smaljov, co-chair of the inner west tenant group, will also address Thursday’s meeting. She will speak about how the changing demographics of public housing tenants since the 1980s has created a structural shortfall in revenue, meaning the government needs to change its approach to housing provision. “They need to invest in a proper social mix of housing,” she said. Ms Smaljov called on the state government to begin proper maintenance of its properties and cease liquidations. “Both partiers have sold off properties over the years,” she said, forecasting more to come in Waterloo and Redfern. In her submission to a recent state parliamentary inquiry, Ms Smaljov recommended a ‘body corporate’ model for social housing, similar to strata title provisions, to promote the decentralisation of building management. A spokesperson for Ms Goward said the government has no plans to sell public housing assets in Balmain or the Leichhardt LGA, but stressed that nothing has been ruled out. Ms Goward’s office did not respond to further questions before deadline. *Name has been changed >> Council pledges support, p11