Squatters in the Lismore and Mullumbimby homes bought back by the NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSW RA) are facing the Supreme Court in Sydney today.
The NSW RA are seeking Writs of Vacant Possession from the Supreme Court, so that some occupied homes can be made vacant.
Local residents and house squatters are concerned that the NSW RA will then have those homes demolished rather than relocated.
Housing advocates in Sydney are rallying together today with other housing advocates from Lismore in front of the Supreme Court to call attention to the Reconstruction Authority demolishing homes.
‘The gathering of housing advocates at the Supreme Court today is a warning sign to the Minns Labor government, the destruction of homes in a housing crisis will not be taken lying down,’ said Greens MP and spokesperson for the North Coast, Sue Higginson.
‘The reality of what is happening in the Northern Rivers is stark, Labor is demolishing homes during a housing crisis and they are punishing the community for resisting.’
The groups are calling for:
- An immediate pause on the destruction of structurally manageable homes.
- A commitment to relocate viable houses, rather than demolish them.
- Offering any moveable home for free to anyone who can safely relocate it.
- Greater compassion and care for communities recovering from disaster and people experiencing homelessness.
Individual risk assessments
Speaking to The Echo Amanda Leck, Head of Adaptation, Mitigation and Reconstruction from the NSW Reconstruction Authority said, ‘the RA remains committed to relocation of homes wherever possible.’
‘It’s probably important to say that not all homes are suitable for relocation for a range of reasons. So every home is treated on its merits, and a risk assessment is undertaken to determine what is the appropriate pathway for that home. For example some homes may have significant asbestos or other hazardous materials present or many of these homes have been looked up for some time now since they were brought back, they may have significant mould and other sort of hazardous materials.’
Ms Leck also highlighted that some of the homes were in very high flood risk locations.
‘The properties in Baillie Street, that are part of the current demolition program, have been assessed as being in the highest flood risk area,’ she said.
Better occupied by squatters
One of the banners at today’s protest was ‘Better To Squat Than Let Houses Rot’ highlighting the concerns of locals and squatters who say the houses have been boarded up and as a result of the NSW RA actions they are now being slated for demolition.
Squatters have told The Echo that they have entered houses in Mullumbimby and Lismore and tackled the mould and restored the houses to a position where they can be lived in safely.
However, Ms Leck was at pains to highlight the dangers of black mould and its health risks to people occupying these homes.
Transparency
Ms Leck said that the NSW RA have helped ten houses to be relocated and there are another 50 are currently under discussion for relocation.
‘To date, we have 156 homes that are able to be relocated. And we are working either with the people who previously owned those homes, who want to relocate those homes to their own land,’ she explained.
‘There are the 30-odd homes that were part of the first relocation expression of interest (EOI). We will bring on another tranche of homes as part of that relocation, EOI. We have about 374 assessments to undertake, and 112 have been assessed. Homes have been assessed as needing to be demolished. That’s the current state.’
List the houses and reasons for demolition
Pushed on the question of providing the community with a transparent list of which homes are to be demolished and the reasons for demolishing each dwelling Ms Leck said, ‘I’m not going to make a commitment, but we will certainly consider whether that is possible’.
Pause demolitions
Local resident and Reclaim Our Recovery (ROR) representative Miriam Torzillo has told The Echo that they are seeking a pause to the demolitions while they get a clear and transparent information from the NSW RA on why each of the houses has been selected for demolition.
‘We want to see the state government add these houses to the EOI list and negotiate with the current tenants a reasonable timeline to vacate.’
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