Residents take call for public housing to NSW parliament

May 13, 2021
Issue 
Rally for public housing. Photo: Hands off Glebe / Facebook

Residents rallied in front of NSW Parliament against the destruction of public housing in Franklyn Street, Glebe and Explorer Street, Eveleigh on May 12.

The protest, called by Hands Off Glebe, Friends of Erskineville and Shelter NSW, heard from speakers before marching around the Domain, later hearing from more activists.

Emily Bullock, a Glebe estate resident and Hands Off Glebe activist said the NSW government had a fight on its hands and called for an expansion of public housing.

Other speakers included Newtown MP Jenny Leong, campaigner Judy Mundey, Louisa Biddington from Eveleigh estate, Evan Van Zijl, from the Australian Unemployed Workers Union and John Engler from Shelter NSW, who received applause as he reflected on the government’s back down on affordable housing at Cowper Street.

The government announced a change to the housing development on Cowper Street and Wentworth Park Road, Glebe, on March 22, saying it would now deliver 100% new social housing. Its original plan was for 70% private housing and 30% social housing. This project will now deliver a total of 75 new social homes, which is 56 more than originally proposed.

Judy Mundey said the housing crisis “will not be resolved by relying on the private sector”. She highlighted how the Builders Labourers Federation had used Green Bans to both protect workers’ interests and preserve historic public housing.

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