Cranbourne duo live in a disaster zone amid metro tunnel construction
Two Cranbourne public housing residents claim they were offered earplugs by a government agency to deal with the noise of a major level crossing removal project.
South East
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Two public housing residents have lashed out at the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing with their properties surrounded by a metro tunnel project construction site.
Danielle Stock and David Radu — who were offered ear plugs to deal with the noise — are the remaining residents in a group of eight public housing units in Cranbourne, the rest of which had been knocked down, and their residents relocated for free.
The area of construction completely surrounds Ms Stock and Mr Radu’s units, as well as a significant length of Camms Rd next to Cranbourne railway station.
Ms Stock, the single mother of a three-year-old, said she was at her wit’s end.
“There’s an excavator outside my front door, there is noise happening constantly, and I haven’t had a proper sleep in weeks,” she said.
“The work often goes on through the night and hearing loud noise all the time is quite upsetting.”
In an attempt to improve her situation, Ms Stock contacted the Office of Housing, the Victorian Ombudsman, the Level Crossing Removal Project and her local MP, Pauline Richards.
“I don’t want anyone to think I’m being ungrateful — I’m so grateful to have public housing, I’m in a much better position than some other people, but if I don’t stick up for myself, who else will?” she said.
“I feel like we have been disregarded purely because we are living in public housing — like they think we should just put up with this.”
Ms Stock said being surrounded by a construction site was dangerous for her child.
“My son can’t play outside because there are often heavy power tools being operated and the fence is rarely closed,” she said.
“Access to our driveway is changing. We’ve been told our address doesn’t exist anymore. What if there is an emergency? How would an emergency vehicle know where to come?”
But the department said Ms Stock and Mr Radu had been offered temporary relocations during construction work, which Ms Stock declined, while she had also since been offered a permanent home in Doveton.
At one stage, Ms Stock said see was told to use earplugs, while the work continues through the night.
Next door, Mr Radu has lived in his unit for more than 17 years.
“I called the department to inquire about getting alternate accommodation for the hours of construction that will happen over the weekend, but they said they couldn’t give me somewhere else to stay,” he said.
“They offered to deliver me ear plugs.”
The construction on Camms Rd began in January, when the other six tenants of the public housing block were relocated. Since then, Ms Stock and Mr Radu have been informed the construction and noise was only going to get worse as the project continues.
Mr Radu and Ms Stock have applied for relocations within the public housing system.
Mr Radu applied for a transfer to move in 2014, when the application was approved – only for the department to “lose his application”.
“Whenever I call up for something they say they’ve lost my application and can’t do anything about it. But as soon as I haven’t paid rent on time because a Centrelink payment hasn’t gone through, they’re straight on the phone threatening me with VCAT,” he said.
Ms Stock has had similar issues.
“I applied to be transferred for other reasons, and have been waiting for over a year,” she said.
“Everyone else around us was paid to move by the department, if we get approved to move we have to cover the costs because we applied previously.”
“I just think it’s a disgrace, we are vulnerable members of the community — we wouldn’t be in public housing if there was another option. It just feels like we are being taken advantage of.”
A spokesman from the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing said “all renters had been contacted” prior to construction.
“All renters whose units were demolished or impacted by construction for the level crossing program on Camms Rd have been offered or contacted to organise alternative accommodation,” they said.
The spokesman said they had previously been “unable to contact Mr Radu” until October 24, after media inquiries were made.
“Contact has now been established with Mr Radu and a relocation application submitted, and a suitable property will be offered as soon as one becomes available,” the spokesman said.
The department did not comment on the claims the residents had been offered earplugs, or on the change of address.
The Level Crossing Removal Project has also been contacted for comment.
gemma.scerri@news.com.au
