Some months ago, an elderly patient was upset by a letter from Brad Hazzard, the Minister for Social Housing. The letter outlined the plans for redevelopment of the Waterloo Estate and relocation of the residents, some of whom have called the area home for several decades. His letter began: “I am excited to write to you and let you know …”. There has been a lot of uncertainty for people who rely on public housing, highlighted recently by the distressed evictees from Millers Point. To date, the only winners appear to have been developers and investors.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, “housing is a key social determinant of health and is often considered to be a proxy indicator of socio-economic status as well as of health and wellbeing” (Shaw 2004). How the vulnerable are treated reflects on the cohesiveness and morality of our society. It is imperative that the policy-makers demonstrate their commitment to the welfare of all citizens, including those who are homeless, who live with financial insecurity, who have no support network, who struggle with their mental health or chronic conditions; those who rely on the safety net of our welfare system.
