Housing crisis in Victoria exacerbated by the Victorian government keeping existing properties vacant and in disrepair while demolishing 44 public housing towers displacing 10000 residents – many of them RISE eX-detainee refugees
RISE eX-detainees, a registered advocacy and welfare organisation governed entirely by eX-detainee refugees, is concerned about the escalating housing crisis in the state of Victoria. Safe housing is a human right and for RISE eX-detainee members it is a critical life-line in the process of recovery and rehabilitation from trauma caused by war and persecution, forced displacement across borders, and detention torture by the Australian government.
The news media and housing advocates report that the Victorian government has the lowest proportion of social housing in Australia and needs to build at least 80000 houses over the decade to address a housing crisis in the state and they are now struggling to meet this target. (https://www.abc.net.au/news/
Therefore it does not make sense why with this housing shortage as well as a widely reported problem of an economic downturn, rising costs, shortage of construction materials and construction worker shortages (exacerbated by the Victorian government aggressively pushing forward with their Big Build road and infrastructure project akin to China’s controversial Belt and Road initiatives, diverting much needed resources away from housing and other basic needs in the community):
a/ In 2023, then Victorian Labor Premier Daniel Andrews suddenly made an announcement that the government would demolish 44 public housing towers with 10000 residents. The current Labor Premier Jacinta Allan and the housing minister show no intention to reverse this decision – The decision violates the human rights of the residents, with no transparent, concrete plan on providing stable, safe and accessible housing for ALL 10000 forcibly displaced residents in their local area. Note: The residents of these towers have been unable to get justice through the state’s supreme court system – with the court ruling demonstrating that their human rights are trumped by legislation that protects the Victorian government’s lack of transparency and accountability. https://www.theage.com.au/
b/ In 2023 – there is data that shows that 27400 private properties in Melbourne were left ENTIRELY vacant https://www.abc.net.au/news/
c/ Both politicians (including those in opposition – see 18/1/2013 media release by RISE https://www.riserefugee.org/
Call to Action: We urgently call on the public to vigorously question politicians in both government AND opposition as well as housing policy makers in the state of Victoria for answers to the following questions:
Where are all the 10000 people forcibly displaced by the demolition of the 44 public housing towers going to be housed and what is being done by the government to make sure that the displacement of the 10000 people does not not add to the wait time for those already on the public housing waiting list?
a/ How many vacant properties are owned by the Department of housing? b/ What is the average length of time they have been kept vacant and how many have been kept vacant for more than a year? c/ How soon will these houses be renovated to fill the public housing shortage?
Minister of Housing Harriet Shing and Shadow Ministers: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/portfolios/
Contact Victorian MPs: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/contacting-members/
Note: RISE’s media release back in 18/1/2013 regarding similar concerns relating to the then State Liberal/National coalition government in Victoria displacing existing residents and turning housing into a profit making venture:https://www.riserefugee.org/victorian-state-governments-plan-to-turn-the-housing-of-the-neediest-into-a-profit-making-venture/
RISE eX-detainees
’Nothing About Us Without Us’