A SNAP-SHOT OF MILLER'S POINT
EXTRACTS FROM THREE ARTICLES
1.
THE NSW GOVERNMENT - Unethical
practice
'Government downplayed death warning at Millers Point' AUG.2014
'Government downplayed death warning at Millers Point' AUG.2014
'The NSW government ignored warnings that moving elderly residents from Miller's Point would increase their risk of death, and an official report was altered to downplay the potentially deadly effect of the public housing sell-off'
'Internal documents also show
authorities changed the study methods used by consultants researching
the social consequences of the sale, so the findings were
concealed until after the decision was announced in March.'
'A
source familiar with the research confirmed departmental officials
were ''concerned about [using] the word ‘death’ '' in the final
report, which the government used to demonstrate that the effect of
relocations on vulnerable residents had been fully considered.'
'Documents
obtained by independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich under freedom of
information laws show warnings about an increased risk of death were
either removed or altered in a social impact assessment, commissioned
by the NSW Land and Housing Corporation.'
2. THE PUBLIC TENANTS' STORY - March 2015
'Chronic stress, ill health, hospitalisation,
death'
'We have seen a dramatic spike in hospitalisations,
serious injury and illness and indeed the process is killing people
as predicted.'
'Within weeks of the announcement an elderly neighbour who was
somewhat reclusive but functioning well, having lived with her son in
Millers Point for over 30 years, took her life'.'A woman who had been battling cancer for some time and living in a house with mould that Housing NSW never remedied was moved out of her home on the Wednesday, went to hospital on the Friday and died on the Monday.'
'We have lost at least three others including a young man this week. Leroy was born and lived in Millers Point all his 26 years. He was well liked and involved in the local rec centre and a valued employee of The Rocks Pharmacy. He lost his mother just 12 months ago and was found to have passed away, the day before he was to be taken to his ‘new home’
'Following the suicide of the elderly woman above, a grieving friend erected a small memorial on behalf of her neighbours in sandstone saying ‘Angela lived here’. Housing removed it almost immediately, she replaced it, they removed it again.'
'Protest banners are also ruthlessly removed from the area even if they are on Church property or a person’s private property.'
3. The real-estate perspective.
'Millers Point home on the market again as owners expect to reap $590,000 profit' - June 2015
'The first Millers Point terrace offered for resale since the government’s sell-off of public housing has netted its owner about $590,000 after just 10 months of ownership.'$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Sources
If vulnerable or elderly people go to unfamiliar territory they can't cope because their routines have been set for years.They feel safe in their own environment.They've built up trust with other people in their community.They probably have medical needs which are met within their environment and medical appointments are a part of their routine as well.I take my Mum shopping every week.If I take her via a different route she gets disorientated.If people are forced to move and make new adjustments at that age it's traumatising- a shock to the system and their wellbeing. Their health suffers.
ReplyDeleteTalking about my own situation, I've had to move to a block of units and that took me a lot of time to settle in and cope with the move. I felt lost. All changes bring on severe anxiety disorder and panic attacks.I have a psychiatrist for this. It should be mentioned that people with mental illness as well as seniors are also at risk. People with schizophrenia often do not cope with change at all. Basically they panic. Many people with these disabilities live in public housing. What is the government thinking??!!! Abby- I'm a public tenant living in a block of units for seniors with disabilities.
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