Residents of Melbourne’s social housing recently spoke to the World Socialist Website about their fight to stop the Labor government’s planned demolition of every public housing tower in the city.

Three towers in the inner-city suburbs of Flemington and North Melbourne are expected to be the first to be destroyed. The Labor government has signed a $100 million contract with property giant John Holland for the demolition, scheduled for the end of next year.

The lucrative land will be redeveloped with two-thirds private apartments – creating a boon for property developers – while only a third will be reserved for so-called social housing. This is a much less secure and more expensive version of public housing, contracted out to non-governmental organizations. Thousands of residents will be displaced, many of them refugees and other vulnerable sections of the working class, who rely on various community services and organizations developed around the towers.

The Labor Government’s program represents a huge attack not only on the residents themselves, but on the entire working class and on the basic principle of social housing provision (see: “The Labor Government of Australian state plans to demolish 6,600 social housing units).

Hundreds of residents of Flemington Towers have launched a class action against the government, citing human rights violations. Government lawyers refused to release documents explaining why the apartments could not be renovated. Independent architects have insisted the renovation is entirely viable. The trial resumes later this month.

Khalila taxi driver from Eritrea, shared his views on public housing: “For new migrants, for refugees, for new arrivals, until they settle down and find a job, this has been very helpful, especially for refugees from Africa, Afghanistan and the United States. Middle East. I arrived in Australia in 1988 and lived in public housing in Ashburton for almost four years, then bought a house in Endeavor Hills. I think this is very useful for many people and as you know the market is very expensive and not many people can afford it, especially families.