SP Newsletter No.297

Just before Christmas there were important developments on the Atherton Gardens public housing estate in Fitzroy (Melbourne). The estate is made up of four 20-storey towers and several two storey ‘walk-up’ blocks. Officially there are 2500 residents, but the true figure is probably closer to 4000.

Residents have been complaining for years about inferior refurbishments, poor maintenance, cockroaches, a lack of air conditioning and shoddy plumbing. It is estimated that recent work at the estate has cost the State government $74 million but most of the buildings are still falling apart.

The Office of Housing has covered up the incompetence of its contractors and State Government Neighbourhood Renewal committees are used to water down resident anger. For far too long the government has refused to deal with the genuine concerns of the residents. That is why the Socialist Party decided to act and called a tenants meeting in late December.

A few days before the meeting the Sunday Herald Sun confirmed some of the problems when they reported that: “About 400 of the estate’s 800 high-rise flats have been renovated since 2002, with new kitchens and bathrooms, better security and fresh paint and carpet. Each renovation costs about $60,000. But when the Sunday Herald Sun visited the estate last week, we discovered: NO security measures at the front door — we were able to walk straight in. EXPOSED wiring hanging from the ceiling of one renovated tower. EXPOSED wiring visible on the outside of the buildings, with crumbling cement. ROUGH, shoddy paintwork in the corridors, disguising roughly patched walls. POORLY fitted windows. WARPED covers on fire hoses and fuse boxes painted but not repaired. GRUBBY and damaged vinyl that has been recycled and put into the newly renovated flats.”

The article in the Sunday Herald Sun gave the residents confidence to get organised and the meeting in the estates’ community hall was packed with people who outlined horror story upon horror story. After a thorough discussion about the issues a 13-person Residents Action Committee was elected. The committee quickly demanded a meeting with the Housing Minister and local ALP Member, Richard Wynne.

A resolution was passed that called for: An independent audit of all contractors used by the Office of Housing with at least 50% elected resident involvement; An audit of refurbishments and the repair of all defects by Easter 2010; A tradesperson to be employed on-site to do all maintenance on the estate; An immediate full service of all the lifts in the towers and security that works - including more lighting in dark areas of the estate.

The combination of the brave stance taken by some of the residents, by exposing the government in the media, and the public meeting has meant that in recent weeks the Office of Housing has agreed to deal with many of the issues. A meeting has also been held with the Minister and other senior bureaucrats from the Office of Housing.

Some of the issues have already been resolved but residents will be expecting immediate action on the more systemic issues at the estate and are preparing for direct action if necessary. The Socialist Party will be encouraging other public housing tenants in Yarra to follow the lead of Atherton Gardens and set up their own committees. Only through organisation and action will these issues be resolved.

For more information visit the SP Council blog at: www.socialistpartyaustralia.org/council

Upcoming SP meetings

The Melbourne Branch of the Socialist Party meets every Wednesday 7pm at Trades Hall on the corner of Lygon & Victoria Streets Carlton South. Upcoming meetings include:

17/2 – A socialist attitude to the sex industry
24/2 – Perspectives for class struggle in Indonesia
3/3 – Immigration: Is Australia full?
10/3 – Film night: Capitalism a love story
17/3 – Fighting for GLBTI rights

For more information or for details of meetings in other parts of Australia contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111.

News links:

EU: Joe Higgins opposes new neo-liberal European commission
http://socialistworld.net/eng/2010/02/1101.html

Latin America: Successful CWI school held in Brazil
http://socialistworld.net/eng/2010/02/1003.html

Turkey: Tekel struggle – Interview with a worker
http://socialistworld.net/eng/2010/02/1102.html

Join the Socialist Party

If you agree with what you have read in our newsletter or on our website you should consider joining SP. The Socialist Party has branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Perth as well as members and supporters in all other states.

We are involved in trade union work and student work. We also run community, anti-war and environmental campaigns. But most of all we want to build a party that will fight to get rid of the capitalist system, the system that is at the root of all of these problems. We fight for socialism - a system that will bring an end to wars, poverty and environmental destruction. To join SP contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111 and we will send you a membership application form.

Subscribe to ‘The Socialist’ newspaper!

Support the Socialist Party by subscribing to our monthly newspaper ‘The Socialist’. Subscription rates are only $10 per year or $20 solidarity price. You will receive 11 copies per year delivered to your door every month. You will also receive our email newsletter every week and you will know that you are supporting an organisation that is at the fore of fighting against the capitalist system. To subscribe to ‘The Socialist’ contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111 and we will send you a subscription form.

Socialist Party contact details

Melbourne: Phone Anthony on 0396399111.
Sydney: Phone Gary on 0297287727.
Newcastle: Phone Samantha on 0249681545.
Adelaide: Phone David on 0883441474.
Perth: Phone John on 0894020728.
Rest of Australia: Phone our National Office on 0396399111.
Rest of the world: Phone our International Office on ++ 44 20 8988 8760.

The Socialist Party is the Australian section of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI). The CWI is organised in over 40 countries across the world.

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