Saturday, August 30, 2014
By Jim McIlroy, Sydney
Residents of the Millers Point public housing community and supporters protested outside the private auctions of the first two houses sold in the NSW Coalition government's planned sale of nearly 300 government-owned homes in the suburb.
The auctions were held at real estate agents’ offices in Edgecliff on August 21 and Woollahra on August 26.
The first house was sold for $1.9 million, and the second for $2.6 million.
Protesters draped banners condemning the sales on walls and fences nearby the offices, as security guards and police guarded potential buyers going inside.
Save Millers Point committee spokesperson Barney Gardner said: "These forced sales are nothing but social cleansing. The people selling and buying these houses should be ashamed of themselves.
"Shame on you. Millers Point is not for sale."
Residents of Millers Point, many elderly, whose families had lived in the historic inner suburb for generations, are resisting government attempts to evict them from their homes. Nevertheless, some residents have been pressured to move by housing officials, and the auction process is continuing.
[The Millers Point community is planning a Spring Picnic under the theme, "Save your heritage. Save our community," on Sunday September 14, from 10am to 4pm, at Argyle Place, via The Rocks.]
Resourced: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/57225
The auctions were held at real estate agents’ offices in Edgecliff on August 21 and Woollahra on August 26.
The first house was sold for $1.9 million, and the second for $2.6 million.
Protesters draped banners condemning the sales on walls and fences nearby the offices, as security guards and police guarded potential buyers going inside.
Save Millers Point committee spokesperson Barney Gardner said: "These forced sales are nothing but social cleansing. The people selling and buying these houses should be ashamed of themselves.
"Shame on you. Millers Point is not for sale."
Residents of Millers Point, many elderly, whose families had lived in the historic inner suburb for generations, are resisting government attempts to evict them from their homes. Nevertheless, some residents have been pressured to move by housing officials, and the auction process is continuing.
[The Millers Point community is planning a Spring Picnic under the theme, "Save your heritage. Save our community," on Sunday September 14, from 10am to 4pm, at Argyle Place, via The Rocks.]
Resourced: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/57225
