Renters and Housing UnionGoodbye Barak Beacon.
(Pictures courtesy of Anthony Snowden)
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More pictures from the Barak Beacon Final Vigil - #4
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More pictures from the Barak Beacon Final Vigil - #3
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More pictures from the Barak Beacon Final Vigil - #2
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More pictures from the Barak Beacon Final Vigil - #1
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Friday 18th was the last day of the Save Barak Beacon campaign. A campaign led by various miscellaneous political parties, groups, and organisations, including RAHU, who came together to stop the destruction of the eponymous public housing estate. Only through public housing - a little on every street - can the housing crisis end. Destroying public housing and evicting their tenants is antithetical to what is needed right now.
Barak Beacon housed 89 households, many elderly or migrant. Margaret Kelly was one of those tenants. For six weeks and two days, from 3pm to 5pm, every Monday to Friday, a protest was held outside of the Barak Beacon estate as part of a larger campaign to save public housing. On Tuesday 15th, we participated in one last, extended, final vigil, culminating in a sneaky camp fire which we sat around, banged some buckets with sticks and sung 'Florence and the Machine' and 'Lily Allen' songs.
At 10:00am, Friday 18th, Margaret Kelly was escorted by police out of the home that she called her own for over 20 years. The home she raised her son in. The home that allowed her be a part of a strong community. And for what?
75% of the land will be leased out to property developers to build market-based, beach-side, luxury apartments that no one can afford. The remaining 25% will be turned into community housing and so-called "affordable" housing. 0% will remain public housing.
As the Big Housing Build continues to demolish what little public housing Victoria has left, all under the guise of the social housing lie; unions such as the CFMEU must declare a green ban to demand the protection of public housing. If you're in any union, show them your support for a green ban on the Big Housing Build, to push the government to adopt the far less expensive 'Retain, Repair, and Reinvest' model that keeps homes public, protects jobs, doesn't destroy a single home, or lead to an eviction.
If you are against the needless demolition of public housing, then contact your local state representative. And while you're at it, contact the Premier's Office, whose contact details you can find on their website right here: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/contact-us
#PublicHousing #SavePublicHousing #Victoria #Australia #RAHU #HousingCrisis #Housing #BarakBeacon #SaveBarakBeacon #BigHousingBuild #PortMelbourne #Solidarity #AusPol
As part of the Big Housing Build, public housing is being torn down and rebuilt as private housing. Come join us in the fight to save public housing in Victoria before people like Margaret are made homeless.
When: 11:30am, Saturday, July 8th
Where: 159 Beacon Rd, Port Melbourne
For more information, head to: https://rahu.org.au/barak-beacon-support/ and linktr.ee/savebarakbeacon
#publichousing #victoria #australia #RAHU #housingcrisis #housing #barakbeacon #savebarakbeacon #bighousingbuild #portmelbourne
Community occupies public housing estate slated for demolition. – Renters and Housing Union
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 8 July, 2023 RAHU would like to make a statement of unconditional support for the Save Barak Beacon campaign. Below is the unedited media statement released by the group. Activists have taken up residence in the disused homes […]
FinoniaThe Barack Beacon public housing estate across the road from the beach in Port Melbourne is being demolished under the guise of “renewal”, despite more cost effective and environmentally friendly options to “repair and retain” the estate. The Save Barack Beacon group is asking for people to join their nightly vigil 3.00-5.00pm every day this week. You can find them on Instagram or Twitter #savepublichousing #SaveBarakBeacon
RAHU unequivocally supports our member Margaret Kelly who has taken a strong stance against the Victorian state government who have marked her home, Barak Beacon - a public housing estate - for demolition, so that they may replace it with private and social housing.
The demolition of Barak Beacon has begun around the edges of the estate while Margaret continues to live there. This is despite no contracts being awarded to any organisation to begin the process of building new homes.
The destruction of public housing is purely ideological; to continue the relentless push for housing commodification. There's not a single worthwhile economic or moral argument for these developments. All they do is make housing unaffordable for everyday people.
If saving public housing is important to you, then join the fight to save estates such as Barak Beacon.
Join RAHU at rahu.org.au
Support Margaret at https://www.instagram.com/savebarakbeacon/
#DefendPublicHousing #SaveBarakBeacon #HousingIsAHumanRight #AusPol #VicPol