'Save our Sirius': March to save historic public housing building

More than 1000 people marched through Circular Quay to The Rocks on September 17 to protest plans by the NSW state government to demolish the iconic Sirius public housing building. The march coincided with the declaration of a Green Ban by the Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU).

CFMEU state secretary Brad Parker announced that the union was "officially imposing an interim Green Ban here today" on the site. The ban on any redevelopment of the Sirius means no unionised workforce will be allowed on the site, and pickets will be introduced when any work commences.

Parker said the union had saved The Rocks from development more than 40 years ago and would take a stand against inappropriate development now: "The Sirius building is not only an important piece of Sydney's architectural history, it is one of the last areas of public housing remaining in the district. We will stand with the residents of Sirius and fight to save their homes," he said.

Former 1970s Green Bans activist and Labor state MP Meredith Burgmann told the crowd: "Over 45 years ago, we fought for The Rocks and Millers Point with Green Bans imposed by the NSW Builders Labourers Federation [forerunner of the CFMEU]. It was not just a battle for historic buildings, but for the working-class people who lived in the area.

"The Sirius building was specifically built to re-house those who had been evicted before the struggle to save that area was eventually victorious. It is ironic that there is now huge international interest in the Sydney Green Bans movement — one of the first examples of environmental actions by a union in the world."

Jack Mundey, a key leader of the BLF at the time, told the cheering crowd that the Sirius needed to be saved: "It's a great pleasure for an old 87-year-old bloke to be here. Let us resolve to keep the fight going."

Other speakers included recently re-elected Sydney mayor Clover Moore; shadow planning spokesperson Michael Daley; independent state MP Alex Greenwich; Greens MP Jamie Parker; representatives of the Sirius youth support group; the Save Our Sirius committee; and the Maritime Union of Australia.

In October 2014, the NSW National Trust recommended the Sirius building, designed by prominent architect Tao Gofers in the late 1970s, be given official heritage listing. The state government refused, claiming that would reduce the price of the building in any sell-off to private enterprise.

The government has already forced most of the 79 public housing residents out of Sirius, claiming it expects to receive more than $100 million for the sale of the site. There is no evidence that the government will use the money to build more public housing.

Critics of the proposed sale, including Moore, say selling social housing in Millers Point and now proposing to demolish the Sirius shows the NSW government does not think public housing tenants deserve to live in the heart of the city.

Meanwhile, there are tens of thousands of people on the waiting list for public housing in NSW. The waiting time for public housing in the state is now at least 10 years.

For more information visit saveoursirius.org.