The City has approved a grant of another $50 000 to Redfern Legal Centre to support the remaining 90 residents in Millers Point public housing. Since the Government announced the sale of these properties most residents have been pressured to leave their homes and relocate to communities across NSW.
Many of those who remain are elderly people that have complex needs. They cannot simply be relocated to another part of Sydney or NSW, away from family, social networks and critical health services. The $50 000 allocated represents just $550 worth of legal assistance to each of the remaining 90 residents. Despite this relatively small sum my Liberal party colleagues enthusiastically opposed the grant. Fortunately they did not success in blocking this important assistance for these residents.
The residents are currently being offered a choice of 28 properties putting vulnerable residents into competition with each other.
So far the NSW Government has sold 38 historic properties at a value of $87 million. Not a cent of this money will be used to build new inner city public housing. Instead the government will fund the construction of new dwellings in outer south western Sydney suburbs such as Padstow, Lurnea and Casula.
This policy of moving Sydney’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged people on the outskirts of the city will only serve to exacerbate the divide between rich and poor. Sydney’s outer suburbs are in sore need of improved transport infrastructure which will provide people with access to employment and health services. The inner city will also be poorer for the lack of diversity if we eliminate people who are unable to afford the astronomical housing prices of the inner city.
You can get involved in the campaign to save the remaining Millers Point Community. Visit their website or facebook page and get in touch.
http://www.millerspointnotforsale.org.au/
https://www.facebook.com/millerspointsaveourhomes/
Councillor Irene Doutney 