‘They’ve been praying endlessly’: Glimmer of hope for public housing tower residents

Public housing tower residents have been offered a reprieve by the state opposition, which is pledging to pause the tower demolition program and fix the buildings where possible to protect thousands of homes.

The David versus Goliath battle between the residents and the Victorian government was fought in the High Court this week, in a bid to establish whether those living in the towers were treated fairly as the state made plans to demolish and redevelop 44 towers across Melbourne.

With residents involved in the class action – who live in three towers across Flemington and North Melbourne – expecting to wait until after November’s election for a verdict, opposition housing spokesman David Southwick said a Coalition government would pause and review the project.

“What we see the government doing is demolishing people’s homes, many [who] have lived in these homes for 20-plus years, without any certainty of where they’re going to go,” Southwick said at the Victorian Council of Social Service’s community sector summit.

“We will certainly pause to ensure that no more of those towers will be demolished. And where we can fix them up, we’ll fix them up, and ensure we get those many vulnerable Victorians … back into the communities that they have been in for years.”

Southwick also criticised the number of apartments vacant within many of the remaining towers. “When we have a housing shortage, why do we have so much vacant housing? Why haven’t they been fixed?” he said.

The government’s decision to demolish Melbourne’s 44 public housing towers has faced sharp criticism from residents, community members and advocates since it was announced by then-premier Daniel Andrews in 2023.

A legal challenge was launched almost immediately following the announcement. The class action was dismissed by the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal , before it was granted a rare application for special leave to appeal by the High Court, which was heard on Wednesday.

Louisa Bassini, the managing tenancy and housing lawyer at Inner Melbourne Community Legal, which is representing residents from three of the 44 towers, said the case would set an important precedent for others living in public housing.

“Just because you don’t own your home, that doesn’t mean that a decision to relocate you doesn’t warrant procedural fairness,” Bassini said.

Among those included in the challenge are North Melbourne residents Hawa Hussien and Hawa Warsame. The long-time friends and neighbours have both lived in the same public housing tower for 28 years. Between them, they have raised 17 children there, and love being close to family, friends and the wider community.

Both women say the government’s decision to relocate them and knock down their beloved tower feels as if a rug has been pulled out from underneath them and their whole world.

“There’s been no communication … There’s been no interest from the department with regard to these people’s wellbeing and how they’re coping with this issue.