SYDNEY — On August 23, South Sydney City Council workers armed with sledgehammers and crowbars attempted to evict almost 30 homeless squatters from council-owned buildings at 147-159 Broadway, near Glebe. The squats are less than 100 metres from the office of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games.
After failing to gain entry, the council officers refused to negotiate with the squatters and called the police to have the squatters evicted.
At the council meeting that night, NSW Greens council member Amanda Lennon successfully proposed a motion to allow the squatters to negotiate with the council. Eviction was then set for August 28. However, on that date the council backed down in the face of community support for the squatters.
A special meeting of council was called to discuss the issue on September 7. Before the meeting began, a majority of council members had indicated that they would vote against eviction. Mayor John Fowler, who has accused the squatters of being "ALP stooges" and part of a plot to destabilise the council, brought a barrister in to heavy council members. The council then voted 8:1 (Lennon voted against) to take any legal action necessary to evict the residents.
On the morning of September 8, notices were put under the doors of the squat ordering residents to leave immediately or face fines up to $1.1 million.
The council's determination to evict the homeless squatters has not extended to the two businesses — Bishop's Stoves and Masterpiece Pictures — that also occupy council property. Council has waived their eight months' unpaid rent and given them leases, at a negligible rent, until the yet to be decided date of demolition. The squatters want the same consideration.
South Sydney City Council wants the heritage-listed buildings to be demolished and the sites handed over to the Walker Corporation for the construction of luxury apartments and shops.
The squatters welcome visitors. They also urge readers to visit their web site at <http://squat.net/shac>. For more information, phone Elias on 0410 762 124, Arlene TextaQueen on 0402 315 731, or Gavin on 0416 319 136.