Protect Millers Point tenants statement

We the undersigned call on the NSW Liberal-National Government to stop all evictions and relocations from Millers Point and the Sirius Building and allow the remaining 24 public housing tenants to live out their days within their community.

These 24 tenants are those remaining from the 593 public housing tenants who were advised of their forced relocation on 19 March, 2014. We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure that the remaining tenants are not harassed with letters of eviction, sheriffs at their door or security personnel.

Considering the NSW Government are expected to amass hundreds of millions of dollars in excess of their original financial target, they should now adopt a moratorium on the further sell-offs in Millers Point.It is time all NSW politicians showed some humanity to people who have worked hard and made sacrifices for their community. No one should be evicted or forcibly relocated from this long-established community. No one should be evicted and particularly not by a democratically elected government.

The 24 tenants resisting the NSW Government’s eviction plans continue a fine tradition of stoic action to defend the living heritage of this State Listed Living Heritage area. Millers Point, Dawes Point and The Rocks, home to wharfies, seamen and associated maritime industries, has witnessed hard fought battles in defence of their homes and working conditions.

We reject the Government’s attempt to justify the forced relocation and eviction of public and social housing tenants by arguing that the funds would be allocated to public housing. Why sell existing public housing to build new public housing? It is a question of equitable allocation of funding within the NSW Government budget. Overall, this project has marginally increased public housing stock but sadly has broken up a supportive, close knit community which has a long history anchored in the First Settlement.

We call on the NSW Government to inform all the remaining public housing tenants that they will not be evicted and can remain in their homes for the rest of their lives.

We are committed to mobilising support for these remaining tenants and to do everything we can to promote and expand public housing in NSW.

Signatories:

Professor Alan Morris, University of Technology, Sydney

Paul McAleer, Secretary Sydney branch, Maritime Union of Australia

Councillor Philip Thalis, City of Sydney

Professor Emeritus Stuart Rees AM

Michael Thomson, State Secretary National Tertiary Education Union NSW

Honorary Professor Wendy Bacon, Australian Centre for Independent Journalism

Irene Doutney, former Deputy Mayor City of Sydney

Senator Lee Rhiannon

Dr Ben Spies-Butcher, Senior Lecturer in Economy and Society, Macquarie Unversity

Adrian Pisarski, Executive Officer National Shelter

Jenny Leong MLA, Greens NSW spokesperson for Housing

David Shoebridge MLC, Greens NSW spokesperson for Planning

Tamara Smith MLC

Jamie Parker MLA

Jeremy Buckingham MLC

Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC

Justin Field MLC

Dawn Walker MLC

Members of the Public