Waterloo demolition to commence after activist camp cleared out

NSW Police arrested a 22-year-old woman on Tuesday morning as officers cleared a protest camp that had been disrupting the demolition of public housing in Sydney's inner-city Waterloo. Dozens of police, including mounted officers, arrived at the site to remove the camp, which activists had occupied since May 25.

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This is about public housing keeping a roof over the heads of people who are suffering and desperately need it.

The arrested woman was charged with trespassing. The demolition of 150 public housing units is part of a larger NSW government project to replace them with 3,300 new units, including a mix of private, social, and affordable housing. Public housing activists, however, are campaigning against the demolition, advocating for the refurbishment of the existing units and demanding that any replacement housing be entirely public.

Grant Donohue, a Waterloo public housing resident, expressed disappointment with the police action, emphasizing the importance of public housing for those in need. He questioned the necessity of demolishing 50-year-old buildings, especially during a housing crisis, calling the plan "silly."

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We need to invest in new public housing, but why knock down perfectly sound homes that are only 50 years old? Especially in a housing crisis, it's silly that they're going to put a wrecking ball through these homes.

NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson stated that protesters had engaged in illegal entry, vandalism, and interference with workers, causing concerns for residents. She criticized the group, which she described as small and influenced by political candidates, for prioritizing ideology over housing needs. The government's plan includes 50% private, 30% social, and 20% affordable housing in the new development.

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The protesters have been trespassing for the past 24 days. We have also had reports of verbal abuse and interference with workers and concerns and fears raised by residents about the noise and disruption caused by protest activity.

Suelin McCauley, a spokesperson for Action for Public Housing, condemned the early morning police operation as an "abuse of power." She asserted that the community campaign to defend public housing would intensify following the incident.

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This is a small group of protesters, led by political candidates for the NSW Greens and Socialist Alliance, who are putting ideology ahead of housing.