Activists from Australia First Party in Victoria have kept a close eye on the proposed re-development of Melbourne’s Wantirna Caravan Park Affordable Housing Crisis since its takeover by a greedy Chinese-born investor, Yunhe Yu (calls himself ‘Andrew’ to sound Anglo) and his privately owned property development company Longriver Group.
Face of Chinese Invasion of Australia
The Wantirna Caravan Park residential accommodation business and its 8 hectare freehold site at 203 Mountain Highway was flogged off on August 2 2016 to foreigners – Yu’s Chinese developers for $35.6 million, full-well knowing the entire place was to be demolished and all the residents forcibly evicted. The prior owners should hang their heads in shame. Surely there were other less greedy sale options than simply flogging off a piece of Australia and vulnerable Australians to da Invading Chinese?
If anyone knows the names of the previous owners and their location, then please let us know. Contact Us.
Of course it didn’t take long for da Chinese investor to try to hike rents as soon as the sale went through. But the Aussie battler residents fought and won their first Chinese Invasion battle at the Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Of course, it didn’t take long for Yu’s progress types to apply to local Knox City Council for planning permission for the construction of 294 townhouses – 169 x 4 bedroom, 120 x 3 bedroom and 5 x 2 bedroom.
Knox City Council has a planning application P/2016/6930 proposing subdivision of the land, easement relocation, demolition of the entire caravan park, removal of native vegetation, construction of 294 townhouse/apartments, and road access upgrade to ‘Road Zone – Category 1’ to facilitate 900-odd tenants (plus visitors) to come and go, thus tripling the population density.
“The population of the development would be for approximately 893 persons once fully occupied.”
The planning application includes a mandatory Social Impact Assessment that has of course been prepared by consultants to bullshit fabrications to Know Council, such as claiming:
Public Place driving residential suicide
“The development would provide relatively affordable dwellings that provide ample accommodation.”
– Glenn Weston, Director, Public Place, March 27 2017 (“Glenn is committed to ensuring that our urban environments are safe, vibrant and inclusive.”)
This invariably will mean the eviction of the park’s approximately 300 vulnerable residents; many of whom are frail, elderly and ill and depend upon relatives living within Knox City Council, or home help; for assistance in day-to-day living.
How is this “inclusive”?
It is impossible for Know Council, indeed Melbourne, to provide more affordable dwellings than those that already exist in the form of the established Wantirna Caravan Park.
Knox City Councillors Complicit
- Cr Darren Pearce – Taylor Ward (Mayor)
- Cr John Mortimore – Chandler Ward (Deputy Mayor)
- Cr Lisa Cooper – Scott Ward
- Cr Nicole Seymour – Tirhatuan Ward
- Cr Peter Lockwood – Baird Ward
- Cr Jackson Taylor – Collier Ward
- Cr Adam Gill – Dinsdale Ward
- Cr Jake Keogh – Dobson Ward
- Cr Tony Holland – Friberg Ward
Knox City Council corruptly prioritising Chinese Apartment Growth ahead of incumbent Traditional Australians
They say anyone at the Caravan Park considering suicide should call Lifeline Australia on 131 114, or Julia Gillard’s adopted Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36.
Aussie Soldier’s Pledge (WWII Pacific War): ‘Never self-sacrifice without taking one of the bastards with you. Never die in vain.’
Options for Melbourne’s Vulnerable are Shrinking
The Caravan Park residents have logically complained to Knox City Council about the total lack of regard for their circumstances and a lack of compassion on the part of Mr Yu and his partners. Many residents are aged and some have lived on the site since its opening in 1988. Many have constructed their own homes on the park while renting the land.
In fact, upon taking over the property Yu attempted to raise the rents to exorbitant levels, only after residents complained to Consumer Affairs Victoria did he relent but he forthwith declared his intention to close the park and has given residents until early 2018 to re-locate.
The caravan park is home to about 300 older Australians
The owner-occupied dwellings are now effectively worthless, some which cost in the region of $150,000 to build, and while the elderly and unwell tenants are receiving some assistance from authorities, no arrangements have been made for the younger, yet still vulnerable residents; they are, as we say “out on their ear”.
Caravans and re-locatable homes have long been a vital part of the low-cost housing mix in Australia and it is the strong view of Australia First Victoria that sites such as Wantirna Park should be protected from development by the state government and local councils through the use of covenants, urban planning laws or other such instruments.
It is simply unacceptable for this essential stock of cheap housing to be whittled away in the name of developer profit and the whole sad story gives cause for pessimism toward Daniel Andrews government’s proposed public-private redevelopment of public housing estates across greater Melbourne.
Peter Fry set up properly independent in his own home at Wantirna Caravan Park, now fearful.
Canberra’s propaganda about its Home Care Packages Programme… “helps you live independently in your own home for as long as you can.” is just another Canberra policy crockfest.
Canberra again ignoring it’s brief
Wantirna’s accommodation crisis is emblematic of governments in Australia at all levels turning their back on Traditional Australians (the original battlers), many of them now aged and vulnerable. Hundreds of battler residents of Wantirna Caravan Park live in fear of imminent homelessness like the clearances of Ol’ Blighty all over.
Many are pensioners, disabled and suffering terminal illnesses and have nowhere else to go.
Nola Nugent, 76, who has lived there for 28 years, was “devastated”. “I raised my two children here,” she said. “To think a bulldozer could just come in and raze it all is just horrendous.”
Nola Nugent (76) has lived at the caravan park for 28 years.
A very basic yet decent home – leave her alone, Chinese!
Suicide Timeline to Forced Eviction
April 2013: Wantirna Caravan Park was reportedly turning people away as Melbourne’s east was gripped with housing crisis. Up to 100 desperate people on a waiting list to move in.
July 2016: Residents informed the property would be sold as a “going concern”.
August 2: The park is purchased by Chinese investor Yu Yunhe and renamed Wantirna Park Estate.
September 8: Notice given of major rent rise to be effective from November.
September 27: Consumer Affairs Victoria began investigating rent hike after receiving letter from Park Action Group on behalf of about 80 residents.
November 14: Residents win against Yu – Consumer Affairs Victoria negotiates new rent price much to the delight of residents.
December 2: Residents receive letter notifying park will close on March 31, 2018. They all must vacate by early January 2018.
January 2017: Abandoned and desperate, suicide attempts commence.
Australia First Party rejects the idea that Chinese developers would ever forsake short-term profits in order to behave in a compassionate manner toward vulnerable Australians; it is a fact that in the past the Australian owners of caravan parks maintained these facilities and made a profit without gouging the tenants.
So why is it impossible for Longriver Group to do the same, given that they knew what they were getting into?
The appalling prospect is that foreign developer Yunhe Yu will evict the Aussie residents, gain his planning permit then sell the vacant land on at a profit. Chinese investment value is earned at the price of the dislocation and dispossession of the assets of our most vulnerable citizens.
Chinese are for more Chinese – be it ‘social’ housing, investment, anything Yuan.
Caravan Parks have become the last resort for Aussies denied Affordable Housing
– take that away and is the only option Battler Suicide – ‘euthanasic pride’?
Aussie Soldier’s Pledge (WWII Pacific War): ‘Never self-sacrifice without taking one of the bastards with you. Never die in vain.’
Background Story: 300 Wantirna pensioners to be forcibly evicted by a greedy Chinese developer and Knox council doesn’t care
The Latest Stolen Generation
This article is for Uncle Nick.