Margaret Kelly, the last resident at the Barak Beacon public housing estate, told a vigil outside Victorian Parliament on July 20 that an order had been given for her eviction. She is “looking into [her] options”, she said.
Kelly said the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal had granted Homes Victoria the right to evict her on August 7. If she had not vacated her home by this date, she said the police would be allowed police to forcibly remove her.
The Barak Beacon Estate has been occupied since July 9 as part of a campaign to save the site from demolition.
The group marched from parliament to protest outside the office of housing minister Collin Brooks in Lonsdale Street.
Commenting on Homes Victoria’s intimidation tactics Kelly said: “[Homes Victoria] have sped up the demolition since the occupiers came in … they have been smashing things … they have private security on site 24/7.”
[The Save Barak Beacon campaign is holding daily vigils at the intersection of Beach Street and Beacon Road, Port Melbourne from 3–5pm. A movie night on July 22 starts at 5.30pm at Fisherman’s Bend Community Centre. Kelly will speak at a Green Left public forum on July 27 at 6.30pm. Find out more here.]
barrack_beacon_credit_jacob_andrewartha.jpg
