What goes around comes around for our public housing residents

The Carlton Residents’ Association (CRA) has previously expressed strong support for improving and expanding public, community, and affordable housing opportunities in our suburb. 

The decision therefore of Homes Victoria to abandon the red brick public housing towers at 141 Nicholson St and 20 Elgin St, Carlton for demolition without consultation with residents or the community needs to be challenged. 

Inner Melbourne Community Legal (IMCL), which is undertaking a class action on behalf of Carlton, North Melbourne and Flemington public housing residents, successfully won a decision of the Supreme Court of Victoria to allow a questioning of the process adopted by Housing Victoria to demolish the public housing towers and the infringement of the human rights of residents. 

The Minister for Housing, Harriet Shing, proposes however to push ahead with the planned demolition of the public housing despite the decision. The CRA has been informed by IMCL that there is little they can do to challenge the demolition of the red brick public housing towers as all residents have been evicted. 

The irony is not lost on those who remember the 1960s and ‘70s when there was large scale redevelopment by the Housing Commission of Victoria. This resulted in 20- to 30-storey towers in inner Melbourne and the displacement of low-income residents. Few of those displaced from their homes that were demolished were resettled in the inner city. 

The Bolte Liberal Government went against resident and community concerns and bulldozed hundreds of homes in order to build the towers across inner Melbourne. Resident associations protested along with public housing residents. In 1973 the high-rise building program was abandoned.

Today the Labor Government, also without consultation, is proposing to demolish the public housing towers that have been home to low-income families, many from overseas who have fled or made a decision to make Carlton their home. 

The Minister for Housing’s response to the CRA letter expressing concern at the demolition without consultation was the demolition date, scheduled for July, and the date for the completion of the new homes, projected to be 2028. It is difficult not to be sceptical if not cynical at the lack of transparency and consultation plus the haste to demolish.

The former Lord Mayor of Melbourne Sally Capp informed the CRA that the council did not participate in the decision to evict and demolish the public housing towers. She said that the council would review a planning application from Homes Victoria for the new development when it became available.

E-scooters to take to our streets

The state government’s protracted e-scooter share scheme trial has at last come to an end and they will be legalised across the state in October this year. 

In essence there will be safety measures as well as increased penalties for dangerous and illegal riding that includes riding on a footpath, riding without a helmet, riding while intoxicated and double dinking. 

The companies are also expected to implement footpath detection technology and Protective Service Officers will have powers to enforce the rules. 

However, the important requirement in the proposed legislation will be that e-scooter share companies must have a contract with a council in the municipality they wish to operate. 

The CRA has supported the council in its lobbying to the state government to be given the contractual powers and residents expect to be consulted on the work to be undertaken to ensure that the contracts are strong and meet the needs of pedestrians and cyclists.

The current Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece is a supporter of e-scooters but has recognised that the e-scooter shared scheme has not worked as hoped and has welcomed the tougher regulatory regime. 

As the caretaker period of the council commences on September 17 there will need to be a great deal of work undertaken to ensure that e-scooters are integrated into our mobility options. 

Currently they impact on safe walking and cycling across our city. We look forward to being informed by the council how residents will be consulted to ensure that the e-scooter shared scheme meets the mobility needs of us all across our suburb and the city.