Meeting to counter ongoing privatisation of public housing in Victoria. The Liberal's "discussion" paper will be released sometime in March, it is expected to be pretty bloody.
Over the last 10 years the bipartisan policy of both major parties has been to transfer public housing to the Housing Associations; supposedly "community" organizations but in fact heavily corporatized. This is associated with higher rents and less security, and with a reduction of conditions for public tenants to make the housing associations more palatable.
We support a massive increase in public housing as the best means of dealing with the housing shortage. Public housing is a social good which holds down prices and rents in the private market, this issue does not just affect public tenants.
Also see www.facebook.com/FOPHVIC (Friends of Public Housing facebook page) and Defend and Extend Public Housing" facebook group.
Comments
Re: Defend and Extend Public Housing Meeting
Working group meeting today looking towards Saturday public meeting. We haven't organized a speaker at this stage and in general organization isn't as far advanced as expected due to various factors. Never mind. What we decided was to do was use the meeting to organise a flash demo for when the Lovell "discussion" papers are released in March. We want to have demo in support of public housing on the steps of Parliament House within 36 hrs of the disucssion papers being released.
In a practical sense that means a telephone tree, banners/placards prepared, and ready to asap with a press release.
It was a pleasant meeting on a warm windy day in the park. In the park because there was birthday party unexpectedly at the Old Maternity Centre in Oldis Gardens ! There was no problem, we shared the chairs and facilities in scenes of great amity and co-operation........still, I suspect it may be a sign that Oldis Gardens has served its time as a Defend and Extend venue.
Re: Defend and Extend Public Housing Meeting
Thatcher sold of public housing in Britain which has led to rediculous house price rises and now threatens to isolate London as an enclave for very wealthy but non-resident foreigh owners. Young people are finacially prohibited from moving to central London and the once multi-cultural vibrant city is at risk of losing all it's atmosphere which made it so fascinating in the first place.
Private housing asssciations are encouraged in the UK but they are strictly controlled and must operate basically like public housing.
No doubt the current Victorian government will hold a fire sale of it's assetts and this is the Tory way. Resist it at all cost.
Re: Defend and Extend Public Housing Meeting
Cool Alan, are you going to turn up? It has proven quite difficult to get a public housing group to fight the privatisation off the ground. The existing tenants groups have some fine people but are very "carpets and cockroaches" oriented and for various reasons have not yet risen to the occasion.
Public housing affects everybody, not just public tenants. A successful attack on it will harm the whole working class.
Re: Defend and Extend Public Housing Meeting
Cool Alan, are you going to turn up? It has proven quite difficult to get a public housing group to fight the privatisation off the ground. The existing tenants groups have some fine people but are very "carpets and cockroaches" oriented and for various reasons have not yet risen to the occasion.
Public housing affects everybody, not just public tenants. A successful attack on it will harm the whole working class.
Re: Defend and Extend Public Housing Meeting
WA has the worst tenancy legislation in terms of tenants rights.Watch the ABC this friday night for an expose
Re: Defend and Extend Public Housing Meeting
WA has a draconian tenancy act.Extreme measures have been taken under it to make dozens of WA indigensous families homeless.See an expose on ABC TV this friday 7.30pm.