Thursday, 17 October 2024

 James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:54): (854) My question is to the Premier, and I ask: when will the Premier address safety concerns of residents at 7 James Street, Brighton? The residents of James Street are living in fear. Many of the residents are elderly, and as one said to me, tenants are now talking about moving out in order to get some quality of life back and some peace. It is not fair. For background, 7 James Street is managed by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing. A new tenant has moved into one of the units whose behaviour is alarming. As one tenant described it, that tenant is constantly screaming, day and night. A number of tenants are frightened and scared of what the tenant might be capable of doing. Incidents have been so serious that Victoria Police has been involved. Despite many attempts by the local community to seek government support, as one resident has said, the ongoing inaction from the department of housing is deeply concerning. Premier, the residents around James Street should not be in a position where they are forced to flee their homes because this government will not protect them.