By Josh Anderson
Surfers braved unfavourable conditions at Bellambi on the weekend, paddling out in support of local opposition to a redevelopment proposal approved by Member for Wollongong and Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully.
Behind the Paddle Out For Bellambi campaign is the Public Housing Action Network (PHAN), led by Wollongong’s NSW Socialists candidate Ryan Chapman.
“The Public Housing Action Network is a community activist group that was formed out of a protest earlier this year, against the proposal to demolish 450 public housing units at Bellambi estate, to build 2500 apartment blocks, by Paul Scully,” said Chapman.
Set along a pristine coastline, the Bellambi estate is home to both a popular reef break and 456 dwellings, 90 per cent of them public housing.
The proposed redevelopment will give rise to 2500 new apartments, 750 of them dedicated to social housing, and although increasing the stock the proportion would dip from 90 per cent to 30 percent, transferring most of Bellambi into private hands.
Alongside this, the introduction of a new Social and Affordable Housing model will introduce affordable housing and community housing. Under this model the 750 new units risk being placed into the private housing market at a discounted market rate, raising concerns over affordability and rights.
Speaking over the gusty offshore winds and into the ears of those attending on Saturday was Kat, a Bellambi resident.
“Apparently, it’s not going to be public housing anymore, it’s going to be affordable housing. And if that’s the case, all these people that live here, where are they going to go?” said Kat.
Chapman clarified the definition of affordable housing and explained how it impacts the residents.
“They’ve (NSW Government) been saying social housing, which I suppose should be clarified as an umbrella term that includes public housing. But then there’s another side to the social housing, which is affordable and community housing,” he said.
“They’re talking about 10 per cent affordable housing, which means that these are private-owned houses that are set to 80 per cent of market rate.””
What this means is that tenants will be subject to a discount based on the private market, replacing the public housing’s rent cap based on household income.
Both Chapman and Kat believe that the government should be building more state-owned public housing, not introducing private investment.
The pushback from the community is represented in the final report from The Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure, which exhibited a draft rezoning model to the public earlier this year.
The report showed 61 per cent of people rejected the proposal and highlighted concerns of displacement, loss of community, schooling continuity and access to long-term housing.
“The reception we have been getting from the leafleting and protests in the past, is that there is actually a lot of community resentment in this proposal, there’s a lot of anger that people don’t want this to go ahead,” said Chapman.
Despite the statistical push back on the proposal Scully has given it the green light.
As he was challenged by locals in Bellambi live on ABC News back in June, Scully pushed through the verbal kickback, saying: “This is the biggest investment that will happen or has happened in Bellambi for a long, long time.”
“These 50, 60-year-old and older homes are no longer fit for many people’s purposes.”
Although the investment into Bellambi may be the largest it has seen, protests are still occurring, with Chapman highlighting the goal for Saturday’s paddleout.
“It’s to prove a point that Paul Scully doesn’t have the support that he thinks he has, and that the community is actually outraged by this proposal and that they should take us seriously.”
Featured image: The stairs leading to Bellambi beach: Photo Josh Anderson
