Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The NSW Opposition has condemned the Liberal
Government’s decision to sell off 293 properties in Millers Point – accusing it
of putting the big end of town before the lives of local
residents.
Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services Linda
Burney said today that the move was a blatant cash grab done with no
consultation and Minister Pru Goward could not be trusted to reinvest any
proceeds in public housing.
This is because over the past year alone,
the Liberal Government has
• Overseen an explosion in the public housing
waiting list to 57,000 applicants - 2000 more than last year;
• Cut $42
million from the budget for public housing maintenance;
• Cut $22 million
from the budget for building new housing stock;
• Built 1,000 fewer new
properties than in the previous year;
• Sought to throw residents out of
their properties by proposing a cruel new “bedroom tax” straight out of the UK
Conservative playbook.
In addition, a report by the NSW Land and Housing
Corporation shows that the O’Farrell Government has cut more than 1300 public
housing properties from its books.
“This is an appalling decision by the
O’Farrell Government - throwing people out of their properties just so it can
grab another city tower,” Ms Burney said.
“Minister Pru Goward is
selling more public housing than she is building – the reality is that she is
not leaving anywhere for residents to go.
“This is a Minister who cannot
be trusted to reinvest the proceeds of this sell off into public housing – not
when she’s cut maintenance, cut new building stock and overseen an explosion in
the waiting list.
“You’d want any such claim by Pru Goward written in
triplicate.
“It’s probably best not to believe it at
all.”
Shadow Minister for Housing Sophie Cotsis said: “Some of the
residents of Millers Point have lived in this area all their lives and have a
deep connection to the community. Many of them trace their ancestry to the
pioneers of Sydney – the people who built this city. Has the Liberal Party given
any thought to where they will be housed and where they will go?”
“The
message of today is very clear – if you live in inner Sydney watch
out.
“This Government has its eyes on your property – and it’s not
building anywhere else for you to move either.
“Public housing residents
face being banished from the inner city because Barry O’Farrell doesn’t consider
them good enough to live here.”
City of Sydney Councillor Linda Scott
said: My grandmother spent her formative years in Millers Point after leaving
her family's country property to make a living in the City. The stories of this
area are the stories of Sydney – and Mr O'Farrell's announcement today will be
devastating not only for the residents, but for all who care about Sydney's
heritage.”
“On Monday night, I moved an amendment calling on the City
of Sydney to categorically oppose the sale of public housing in Millers Point
and Dawes Point. The Lord Mayor and her supporters joined with the Liberal
Councillors to defeat this motion.
“Only Labor is standing with this community to
fight the sale of all public housing in the inner city.”
See: http://johnrobertson.alpnsw.prod.communityengine.com/media-2/media/o%E2%80%99farrell-sells-millers-point-housing-in-blatant-c/
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