Overview
Anthony Albanese, Tim 'Rosso' Ross and Lord Mayor Clover Moore are among the public figures who'll be making their way to Customs House on Saturday, 17 September, to lead a massive public rally to save The Rocks' Sirius Apartments. Get there at 11.30am to show your support.
The Sirius building, which was designed by architect Tao Gofers, is not only an important part of '70s history, a great example of Brutalist architecture and it is also public housing. For years and years, it has helped to even the score in this expensive, property-obsessed city of ours, but allowing people on low incomes to live in the centre, with harbour views.
But now, the NSW Liberal Government under Premier Mike Baird wants to smash Sirius up and replace it with luxury apartments. That's why Albo, Rosso and the Lord Mayor are getting together to put up a serious fight."By selling out our communities and our history to make a quick buck, the State Government is undoing the very reason heritage legislation exists," said the Lord Mayor. "Selling off social housing in Millers Point and now demolishing Sirius shows the NSW Government doesn't think public housing tenants deserve to live in the heart of our city."
They'll be joined by Alex Greenwich MP, Jamie Parker MP and the legendary Jack Mundey, a union and environmental activist who led the famous Green Bans movement, which saved Sydney from loads of unnecessary and environmentally damaging development in the '70s. In fact, his work might prove crucial to the saving of Sirius, for Brad Parker, the national assistant secretary of the CFMEU (the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union) will be announcing an interim Green Ban on the building at the rally. This ban prohibits all unionised work forces from working on the site, regardless of the State Government's instructions.
"The government appears to have made no attempt to weigh the financial gains of a sell-off against the social losses involved in the devastation of a community," said Albanese.
The rally will start at 11.30am outside Customs House, where Albo and Rosso will kick off proceedings. It'll then travel through The Rocks and along the harbour foreshore to Sirius. There'll be speeches from the back of the CMFEU truck, a performance by Sydney band The Cooks and a sausage sizzle.
Images: Katherine Lu and Barton Taylor.