[Greens-Media] Joint Media Release Jan Barham/David Shoebridge: Miller Point Public Housing Statement

[David Shoebridge]

Media Release

19 March 2014



Miller Point Public Housing Statement



The O'Farrell Government today announced the sale of 293 public housing properties in Millers Point and the Rocks with the move expected to displace more than 400 public housing tenants.

This is despite the fact that they have to date failed to undertake a complete assessment of the housing stock in question and that they have not developed a staged strategy to ensure certainty for the public housing tenants affected.



Greens MP and Housing Spokesperson, Jan Barham said:


"It is simply unacceptable that the government has made this announcement without notifying residents, and only days after it fronted the Parliament's Housing inquiry.


"Affordable and appropriate housing is a basic human right and there is already too little social housing stock within Sydney's CBD and surrounds.


"The Government is selling off housing without a strategy for how it will manage its public housing system, while residents have been left without answers about the potential disruption to their community and lives," Ms Barham said.


Greens MP and Planning spokesperson David Shoebridge said:


"This is a government that cannot see beyond short term financial gains, to long term future planning for our communities.


"In the face of a severe housing affordability crisis in Sydney, the O'Farrell government is selling off some of the most centrally located public housing in the city.



"With the failure to provide any serious affordable housing units in the State's largest construction site at Barangaroo and now the sale of Millers Point properties it is clear that this government sees no place for social housing anywhere near the CBD.


"We need to break down barriers for social inclusion, avoid the ghetto like public housing precincts of the 1970s and retain the kind of housing mix that makes Millers Point so successful," Mr Shoebridge said



Media Contact:



Jan Barham                         0447 853 891

David Shoebridge            9230 3030





David Shoebridge

Greens MP in the NSW Legislative Council

P: (02) 9230 3030 T: @ShoebridgeMLC<http://twitter.com/#!/shoebridgemlc>

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