Media Release - Wednesday 12 August 2015

The Barr government’s plan to relocate public housing tenants away from
the proposed light rail route is demeaning and damaging to those families
who will struggle to access transport, Shadow Minister for Housing Nicole
Lawder said today.

“It is insulting and hypocritical that the government will not allow public housing
tenants to benefit from light rail, by moving them away from the Northbourne
Avenue corridor,” Ms Lawder said.

“Rather than using light rail to socially support these tenants, light rail will be the
policy that forces their eviction. These tenants along the Northbourne corridor
currently have access to the most frequent buses in Canberra, now they’ll be
even further marginalised on transport.

“Tenants will be relocated to places of transport disadvantage many kilometres
away from Northbourne Avenue. The so called salt and pepper approach is only
an excuse to move people away from transport and services to free up land for
light rail.

“It is tragic that Minister Yvette Berry is presiding over a public housing policy
that actively creates social isolation and transport disadvantage,” Ms Lawder
concluded.

Contact: Joe Prevedello 0402768432