Six questions for minister Wynne

Following a letter in today's edition of the Northcote Leader from local MP Fiona Richardson, I thought it timely to go straight to the source for some answers about the redevelopment of the Roberts Street flats. The following quotes an email sent this morning to housing minister Wynne, and cc'ed to Richardson and the media. Richard claimed in her letter that a 'traditional public housing redevelopment' is planned for the site. Let's see how long it takes to get some decent answers.

Dear Richard,

I am writing further to Fiona Richardson's letter in the Northcote Leader (10/4, p.11) claiming that a 'traditional public housing redevelopment' is all that is envisaged for the Roberts Street site in Northcote. Our local member claimed that you had made this 'absolutely clear' on the day you announced the redevelopment to residents.

Since a search of the government's online media releases and speeches reveals no such unequivocal statements by you, and none to my knowledge have been reported, I invite your response to the following questions:

1. Do you rule out a public–private partnership on the Roberts Street site?

2. Have there been, or will there be, any discussions at a ministerial, departmental or local government level with private developers interested in developing the Roberts Street site?

3. Have there been, or will there be, any discussions at a ministerial, departmental or local government level with Melbourne Affordable Housing to develop the site under a similar arrangement to Mary Street, Preston?

4. Can you confirm that the site will be retained for the exclusive purpose of public housing managed by the Office of Housing?

5. Are you able to confirm the number of units to be constructed on the site, including the numbers of bedrooms?

6. Will you allow residents to choose their own representative in their discussions with government concerning the redevelopment?

I look forward to your response, which I am keen to share with the local community.

Sincerely, Darren Lewin-Hill

PPP for Northcote?

Today's edition of The Melbourne Times carried my letter calling on Victorian Housing Minister, Richard Wynne, to rule out a public–private partnership on a Northcote public housing site set for redevelopment in 2008. Here it is:

Judging by the community reaction to the panel report on the Carlton public housing redevelopment, current and future public tenants of Northcote's Roberts Street flats have little to hope for.

Minister Wynne has been silent on whether the site is destined for a public–private partnership (PPP). If this approach were adopted, it would open the gates to a Carlton-style scenario of inappropriate ratios of private to public housing, albeit on a smaller scale. There is also the question of the impact of the redevelopment on the neighbouring park.

After such a long history of neglect and delay regarding this site, I call on Minister Wynne to come clean on Roberts Street Northcote, to rule out a PPP, and to safeguard the adjacent park from development. The current housing site should be retained for the public benefit, and that means aged housing integrated within the community to help address the heavy public waiting lists for accommodation. We don't need another public gift to private developers.

The same issue carried the surprise announcement by Wynne that the numbers to be accommodated on the Carlton site would mark an increase of 250 on the current population, albeit housed in the same number of units as originally planned (246, see 'Surprise rise in resident numbers for Carlton estate', p. 13).

While this development was welcomed by the representative for the Carlton Local Area Network, Steve Dobson, the central criticism of the development remains valid. The public units on the site will be massively outnumbered by private units in the face of long waiting lists for public housing in inner-city areas. And this on public land that should be retained for public benefit. Wynne's announcement, while some relief to residents, is tokenism.

It will be interesting to note developments at Roberts Street, Northcote, on the future fate of which I understand residents are meeting today.

Watch this site for updates. Comments and questions are welcome here, or you can send me an email.