Journalist and campaigner Wendy Bacon told a gathering at the Wentworth Park Road occupation on June 12 that the core problem is that housing has become one of the main means of generating profits.
Describing the occupation to save low income homes in King’s Cross during the 1970s, she said while many aspects were different, that was the same.
“The continuity that has never gone away, and has now gotten to a more serious crisis point than ever before, is that physical, material property — homes — are mainly a means of making profit.”
“In 1973, just like they do today … the developers were moving in and pushing people out. A lot of people were moved out of their houses before the fight even really began.”
Bacon said: “Until we solve the problem that developers run this city, I don’t think we can get a city where there’s places for everyone to live in dignity.”
Residents and public housing activists decided to suspend their successful five-day occupation, but added that they would return to defend 82 Wentworth Park Road from demolition.
They said the successful action had “raised public awareness about Labor’s intention to push ahead with the Coalition’s these high quality public homes, when people should be living in them”.
They said they had “extracted a significant ” from New South Wales housing minister Rose Jackson, who said on Twitter that the site would remain “public housing rather than affordable housing”, they still want her to come and talk to residents and commit to follow through with action.
“Put more buildings on it if you have to. Do it quickly, because people need homes,” Wiradjuri person and resident Carolyn Ienna said on June 12.
Another resident, Irma Cortez, thanked the occupants for a “fabulous fight to help save our home” adding that the government must “reconsider moving us because this is my home for the last 18 years”.
Action for Public Housing organiser Rachel Evans said that as the Land and Housing Corporation and police confirmed we had a right to peacefully protest she urged activists and homeless people to occupy empty dwellings. “Affordable housing is not social housing. Social housing is not public housing. The housing minister must protect this site and guarantee it will remain 100% public homes in more than just a tweet.”
It is anticipated that the City of Sydney will consider the development application on June 28.
The 35-year old public housing complex in Glebe includes 17 public housing dwellings (12 one bedroom and 5 three bedroom units). Residents and campaigners want it to be immediately filled with those on the long public housing waiting list. They say the government could build more public homes at the back of the site, without knocking it down.
More than 1500 people have signed an APH petition calling on the government to save 82WPR. More than 370 individuals submitted to the development application during the exhibition period.
The occupation was supported by the Antipoverty Centre and the Sydney University Students’ Representative Council, among others.