Chris Minns Labor government’s plans to demolish the Waterloo Estate and privatise public housing continues to draw opposition, with another rally marching from Redfern Community Centre to the housing estate on June 13.
The Save Waterloo Encampment and Action for Public Housing, established on May 24, is organising with public housing tenants to resist evictions and demolitions.
Wiradjuri and Yuin Redfern resident, actor and storyteller Angeline Penrith told the protest that Redfern is probably over 20 years into gentrification. “We’ve seen what has happened out of that — in the guise of ‘progress’, in the guise of making things better. Better for who? Better for the rich, better for the government.
“I know all too well about being [turned into] fringe dwellers and being pushed to the side, treated aliens within our own country.
“Living in Waterloo and growing up in Redfern, we get stark reminders that no matter how much you fight for what we have, it could be taken away in a blink of an eye.
“I’m a child of the revolution — the Redfern revolution — and I say that proudly… you need to look no further if you're looking for heroes.
“They’ll have to drag us out of here because we ain’t giving up. We ain’t giving up on our land. We ain’t giving up on our rights.
“We've seen what’s happening across the world. We don't need that Trump ideology here. They can all f*** off.”
Karyn Brown, a Waterloo South tenant and a spokesperson for Action for Public Housing, told the protest that Labor’s housing minister Rose Jackson keeps saying everyone is happy with their eviction.
“Rose Jackson claimed on June 11 that Waterloo tenants are excited to be offered new social housing apartments above the Waterloo metro station. She interviews two tenants, who enthuse about their new homes.
“Of course some people want to try it out and that is no surprise as Waterloo has been neglected, in some parts badly.
“She promises brand new homes to people but she doesn’t tell them that their rents will rise, under the new community housing provider scheme.
“The apartments Jackson is demolishing are only 70 years old. Yes, they need renovating. But the NSW government, the landlord who we pay rent to each week, has not been up to the task. It’s the government that bears responsibility for the state of public housing.”
Brown said that tenants have told her that tenants in the Waterloo metro units pay more rent than they did in the apartments they were evicted from. “We’re told they are smaller and that they’re ‘hot boxes’ — there is no air-conditioning.
“There are intrusive security cameras everywhere and there is no freedom of movement. Residents can only access three levels in the nine story block: ground, rooftop and apartment level.
“The expensive student housing, next to the social housing units, do however have air conditioning. This is grotesquely unequal — like the ‘poor-doors’ in the Barangaroo tower blocks.
“Labor should guarantee the right of return and stop demolishing Waterloo. It should renovate the boarded-up apartments and apologise to the tenants it turfed out.”
Waterloo resident Grant Donohue told the protest that the government is “trying to divide the community”.
“First [they] just take off the easiest bit, which is the bit where there’s not the population living in the towers. Divide and conquer is what they usually try to do ...
“But in public housing … one of the things which they don’t notice is that we live in a community. And that’s why why here, even though my building might not be threatened now.”
Rachel Evans, Action for Public Housing spokesperson, said Jackson and Heffron MP Ron Hoenig were hell bent on demonising poorer communities, describing the Waterloo Estate community as “non-functioning” due to drug dependency issues.
“This Labor government is waging a ‘demolition by neglect’ strategy, denying public housing estates the maintenance they need. If there are problems with addiction, shouldn’t it be supporting people into rehab programs and delivering them counselling and training so they can get back on their feet?”
Damien Nguyen, Action for Public Housing spokesperson, said Labor’s should not be selling off Waterloo to property developers.
“Stockland wants to build 1650 private homes and 1650 social and affordable homes. Jackson and Rebecca Pinkstone of NSW Homes are trying to convince the public that these will be just like public homes. However, social homes are managed by Community Housing Providers — is a private-public partnership.”
Nguyen said CHP CEOs receive $300,000 in wages a year.
“Demolishing public housing in a housing crisis is criminal. There are 69,000 people on the NSW public housing waiting list and the battle for Waterloo is about government delivering lasting housing solutions.”
Nguyen said if 60% of Vienna can live in “beautiful public and council housing”, governments here can do the same.
Investigative journalist and activist Wendy Bacon and City of Sydney Greens councilllor Matthew Thompson also addressed the protest.
[Show your solidarity to the Waterloo tenants by visiting the encampment at 251 Cope Street, Waterloo and volunteering. More information can be found at Action for Public Housing.]