Petition against plan to house Syrian refugees in Eltham gathers 300 signatures

A PETITION against Syrian refugees moving into an aged care facility in Melbourne’s north has attracted 300 signatures.

The plan to house Syrian refugees in an aged care facility is under consideration.

A WRITTEN petition against Syrian refugees moving into an Eltham aged care facility has attracted 300 signatures.

The Eltham Syrian Refugee project — a St Vincent’s Health Australia and CatholicCare initiative — would make 60 one-bedroom units at the Diamond St aged-care site available for short to medium-term rentals to Syrian refugees, with women and children given priority.

But objectors believe the site is inappropriate for anyone other than the elderly.

The petition says “Eltham Aged Care Village (formerly known as Judegebook), is no place to house 150 Syrian refugees.

“Eltham’s most vulnerable residents must come first. Eltham Aged Care facility must remain as an aged home for over 65s.”

Retirement village residents voice concerns over Syrian refugees

The organiser, who has a relative in the facility and did not want to be named, said the petition was started to give the residents a voice.

“All of them feel strongly about it but not all of them feel confident enough to campaign for it,” they said.

St Vincent’s spokeswoman Abbie Clarke said the written petition was not a “true reflection” of community support and a number of claims made at a correlated online petition site were “baseless and inaccurate”.

“We have held many meetings with residents and their families, staff, community and government about the refugee project,” Ms Clarke said.

Syrian refugees to call Eltham aged care facility home pending a planning permit approval

St Vincent’s invested $6 million to upgrade 60 units for refugees and 56 for the elderly. Two residential aged care facilities on site are also undergoing a “significant refurbishment,” she said.

“No residents have been displaced by the project and the units will revert back to affordable housing for older people when the project is finished,” she said.

St Vincent’s has submitted an application to amend the Nillumbik Planning Scheme, which states that only people over the age of 65 can live at the centre and that accommodation cannot be allowed on part of the site because it’s an Urban Floodway Zone.

Welcome to Eltham group prepares warm welcome for refugees

Government spokesman Jordy Jeffrey-Bailey said the amendment was under consideration by state departments with issues relating to flooding and other matters being investigated.

Mr Jeffrey-Bailey said the demand for residential aged care places in Eltham area was low and the proposal would have no impact on availability.

The United Nations estimates there are 4.8 million Syrian refugees with about 8.7 million people likely to be displaced from their homes by the end of 2016.