Two Greens candidates recently signed a pledge in support of the residents of 150 Inkerman Street, St Kilda, fighting to save their public housing homes from demolition.
Katherine Copsey, South Metro member of the Victorian Legislative Council, and Angelica Di Camilo, candidate for the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Prahran, declared that they are ‘opposed to the displacement and demolition of 150 Inkerman Street, St Kilda.’
The candidates were invited to the threatened public housing high-rise on Inkerman Street by residents on Thursday September 1. Residents presented them with a text to sign stating, ‘The building is valuable public housing for the over-55 population, and the majority of the 109 residents there want to stay.’
Since the building was announced for demolition in January by the ALP State Government, residents have organised a fight-back, with 60% signing a petition to stay that was handed to representatives of the Housing Minister, Nick Staikos, last month. Half the residents of the building have declared ‘non-cooperation’ with the State Government’s housing office, Homes Victoria, which is tasked with administering the attempted displacement process.
The residents are approaching candidates from all political parties to gain their support in the run-up to the state election in November.
Tom Cooper, chair of the 44 Flats United 150 Inkerman Street Residents Committee, said: ‘It’s important for everyone to know where the candidates stand and if they’re willing to sign on to something. If they do, it gives us confidence that they will follow through.’
The full text of the pledge reads:
I am opposed to the displacement and demolition of 150 Inkerman Street, St Kilda. The building is valuable public housing for the over-55 population, and the majority of the 109 residents there want to stay.
The Greens will never compromise on public housing: we will never support the demolition and privatisation of public housing, and we commit to more than doubling the number of public homes over the next 10 years.