University continues to seek squatters' cooperation to voluntarily vacate University premises
Media Release, Monday 5 January 2009
The University of Melbourne has been forced to take legal action to recover University-owned offices in Carlton, which have been occupied by squatters since August 2008.
Today (5 January 2009) the Supreme Court of Victoria granted an order allowing the University to recover its property at 272-278 Faraday Street, Carlton. The Faraday Street premises formerly housed the University’s Student Counselling Service.
However, University Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter McPhee, says the University continues to seek the cooperation of the squatters to voluntarily vacate the premises so that the University can comply with a City of Melbourne building notice by close of business on Wednesday 7 January 2009.
The University has repeatedly asked the squatters from the Student Housing Action Cooperative (SHAC) to vacate the premises voluntarily and has previously offered emergency accommodation to any currently-enrolled University of Melbourne students on the premises.
Professor McPhee says the University made SHAC a generous offer of an opportunity to run a pilot program on cooperative student housing in 2009 on condition they showed good faith and left the Faraday Street premises by 11 December.
“We offered to identify, pay bonds and act as guarantor for SHAC on suitable rental properties to house up to 20 students in a cooperative student housing program run by SHAC. It was to be a scalable model and, assuming significant positive benefits could be demonstrated, the scope of the scheme could be increased in 2010.
“Disappointingly, SHAC has rejected this pilot program.”
Professor McPhee says the University has been extremely patient with the squatters and has even extended the deadlines for vacating the premises on several occasions, to take into account the University exam period and to allow time to consider the University offer of alternative accommodation.
However, the City of Melbourne building notice served on the University requires that an extensive range of safety works need to be undertaken before it can be occupied.
Professor McPhee says the University is sympathetic to concerns about the lack of affordable student housing. “The night that the squatters occupied the Faraday Street premises representatives from our student housing services attended a forum with SHAC to explore options for cooperative student housing.
“We have a Working Group continuing to explore options with other interested parties. All along, we have urged SHAC to vacate the Faraday Street premises and join in this important conversation."
Professor McPhee says the Faraday Street premises are to be refurbished for a centre for student off-campus engagement activities - volunteering, internships and study abroad.
“Office accommodation for University activities is at a premium. Currently, our pressing accommodation needs can only be met by spending around $3 million a year on renting premises.”
Some background on Student Housing at the University of Melbourne
The University provides all students with access to excellent advice on safe, affordable, appropriate housing.
It operates ‘share’ houses as a transitional step to independent living, and emergency accommodation for students experiencing a temporary housing crisis.
In 2008 it provided in excess of around $510,000 in $35 per week rent assistance to students.
Around 2400 student beds are available through Colleges and Halls of Residence affiliated with the University.
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