The Victorian Greens say today's loss of an appeal by public housing residents does not give Jacinta Allan's Labor Government a mandate to steamroll ahead with the mass demolition and displacement of public housing communities.
Residents have spent years fighting Labor's decision to demolish their homes without consultation and without a transparent, evidence-based case for why refurbishment was ruled out.
The Greens said the court outcome does not change the underlying policy failure at the heart of the tower demolitions, and that today's decision is not the final word on the future of Melbourne's public housing towers.
A recent parliamentary inquiry into the redevelopment of Melbourne's public housing towers heard evidence calling for demolitions to be halted after the government was unable to produce documents justifying its decision.
The inquiry also recommended that Labor's discretionary claims of cabinet confidentiality be independently assessed by a legal arbiter, as required under parliamentary rules - a process Labor has actively defied.
Victorian Greens housing spokesperson Gabrielle de Vietri said the decision was devastating for residents and made clear the fight to protect public housing is not over.
As stated by the Victorian Greens housing spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri:
"Residents found out through the media that Labor planned to demolish their homes, and they've shown extraordinary courage fighting that cruel decision, and this isn't the end of that fight."
"Make no mistake - the community will fight this disastrous plan every step of the way, including standing in front of bulldozers if that's what it takes.
"In a housing crisis, Labor is demolishing public housing and rolling out the red carpet for private developers, handing over prime public land to build expensive private apartments - a choice that's going to make renting and buying a home in Melbourne even more unaffordable.
"This plan has been shrouded in secrecy from the start. If Labor's case stacks up, they should release the documents and let them be independently assessed. People are seeing that Labor's mass demolition and privatisation of public housing has no legs to stand on and it is only a matter of time until the wheels fall completely off."
