Bondi homeless face uncertain future
Image: The redevelopment of Bondi Pavilion is slated to start in 2018. Photo: Supplied
BY JESSICA HILL
The fate of the homeless group using Bondi Pavilion for shelter is up in the air as the redevelopment of the building moves closer.
Aden Devine, 60, has been living at the Bondi Pavilion for the last 9 months. He hopes he’ll be allowed to stay there despite the plans for redevelopment.
“I don’t know where I’d go if they told me to move on. Go sit under a tree?” said Aden.
Waverley Greens Councillor, Dominic Wy Kanak said the situation of the sleeping rough and homeless people at the Bondi Pavilion is fairly unique because of the legal action taken in the past.
“We need to be aware that the homeless people have tested their legal rights in past court cases. We also need to be courtesan of the fact that Bondi is a wealthy area and part of our social responsibility is to look after the vulnerable and homeless whenever we can.
“Waverley Council has a homeless persons protocol that would operate to assist the situation of the homeless people at Bondi Pavilion in any redevelopment caused them to be relocated,” he said.
In March 2010, a group of nine men living at Bondi Pavilion had their case dismissed by the Supreme Court. It was ruled the group had no right to continue sleeping there, despite some of them calling the area home for up to 8 years.
“The use of any part of the reserve for sleeping rough accommodation for the homeless, however worthy in itself, is not a purpose or function of [Bondi Park],” the judgement said.
Mark Gould, member of the Save Bondi Pavilion Group, said the group recognise this is a complex problem.
“We have had some discussion amongst ourselves and our attitude is that this is not a Bondi Pavilion problem. It is the problem for the three levels of government.
“I don’t think (Waverley Council) have been compassionate enough. I think like a lot of government services and agencies, the homeless people are in the too hard basket and no one really know what to do so it’s left to the churches and other social service organisations,” he said.
The Development Application for Stage 1 works at Bondi Pavilion are to be submitted by Waverley Council in late March. Construction of Stage 1 is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2018.
City Hub made attempts to contact the acting General Manager of Waverley Council, Catherine Henderson however she did not respond before this publication went to print.
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