- The Guardian
- Issue #2154
Denis Doherty speaking at the ‘Save Public Housing Rally’ 5 July 2025 in Glebe. The rally was organised to protest the demolition of public housing at 82 Wentworth Park Road.
A last-ditch attempt to dissuade the NSW government from demolishing 82 Wentworth Park Road (82WPR) has been held in Glebe. A modest crowd heard about the reasons why the community should not lose this handsome building, built only thirty years ago and designed by a well-known architect.
The community advocated for refurbishment or an infill but the proponents of the new scheme, the contractors to the Housing department advised the Minister Rose Jackson that the community scheme would be too expensive. Their suggestion, to spend $25 million for an increase of 24 people is exorbitant.
A magnificent fight has been waged for several years to save this site by the ‘Hands off Glebe,’ the ‘Glebe Society’ and ‘Action for Public Housing’ groups to save the building. The building can house around 30 people but has been empty for 2 years and now with the demolition will be out of action for a further 4 or 5 years. Meanwhile the numbers of homeless and those on the waiting list rises. The community has asked that other sites around Glebe such as the ‘Old Fish Market’ and Mallet Street sites be put aside for public housing, but they are being used for private housing development.
