The Glebe Society made a thorough submission to the NSW Parliament Inquiry into Social and Affordable Housing, in which (among other matters) we noted that NSW faces a crisis in public housing, urgently needs a coherent housing strategy that sets targets and provide incentives to public and private developers, must establish improved governance based upon community involvement, must build trust, improve maintenance and welfare. It suggests establishment of The Glebe Project to inquire into these matters as they affect Glebe and report within six months. It points out that the policy of market rental for social leases such as

the Glebe Youth Service produces an arcane process that provides makework for accountants and consultants, diverts public and NGO workers from their main tasks and produces no more than a roundabout of cost transfers.

Growth-at-all-costs planning laws continue to threaten community consultation and advantage developers. The Glebe Society has been a strong opponent of excesses and has made sensitive policy proposals as a network member of the Better Planning Network, and separately. Our latest letter is here. Minister Hazzard has not yet replied, but non-government members in the Legislative Council have written back indicating support and congratulations.

I have written to the Chief Executive Officer of the CBA and told him that ‘You can remain the last Bank in Glebe.’ The owner of 205 GPR (not the CBA) intends to re-develop the site as two shopfronts and some accommodation. The owner apparently would be pleased to see a bank lease one of those shops. I told the CEO, ‘Glebe hopes it will be your bank and I guarantee that my society will influence Glebe to use it’.