Remembering Minto: Life and Memories of a Community

Dr Judy Stubbs
What on earth could have gone so wrong?

Minto might be a community that sometimes lacks the material resources, which many in our increasingly divided society have in abundance, but it’s shown itself to be rich in resourcefulness, commitment, community solidarity and a willingness to share talent, time and energy for the benefit of others.

I wondered at that time (the year 2000), what on earth could have possibly gone so wrong that in the two years between me doing that research, spending so much time on the estate, getting to know people and understand the issues, and the announcement that things were so bad that the estate was going to be demolished.

Above all I think the Coalition was very concerned that the proper evaluation of the immediate and longer term social and economic impacts of the estate redevelopment had not been done at all, prior to the demolitions or the announcement. If you think about it — 1,000 homes, 3,000 people to be relocated, most never to return, 93 hectares of what is becoming prime public land potentially sold to a private sector partner… Yet there was no environmental impact statement under Part V of the Act conducted, as is required. There was no social and economic impact assessment required by the Council, who’s the consent authority and also the partner, prior to that development and the application and the demolition of the first 100 homes. To me working in this area all the time this was absolutely extraordinary.

Residents still await the final decision on the future of their estate with continuing uncertainty and concern. They are acutely aware… that a sudden political decision can change even the most carefully planned and executed process. We all know that — there are political realities.

Today I think is an absolute celebration of what a community can achieve when its members work, not just to meet their own needs but when they are vitally concerned for the wellbeing of the most vulnerable and least powerful members of their community and that is truly what I think the RAG has been concerned with.