EXCLUSIVE: Volunteers with a national welfare organisation have been banned from visiting Williamstown’s high-rise public housing flats which have been dubbed “hell on earth”.
The St Vincent de Paul Society has issued a directive to volunteers – who are prohibited from talking to the media – not to set foot on the Nelson Place estate because of “the unacceptable level of risk”.
A source said Department of Human Services representatives from Footscray were calling an urgent crisis meeting after the Weekly raised the issue with Housing Minister Wendy Lovell.
In a letter to Ms Lovell, president of Vinnies’ Williamstown branch Patrick Conheady said the society had withdrawn its service to the tower block because of the “unacceptable level of risk” of crime.
He said “residents, visitors and the general public were now at a greater risk than previously” because of people being assaulted, robbed and threatened with violence.
He said residents were reluctant to speak up for fear of reprisal.
Mr Conheady said the department had offered volunteers the use of a room in which to meet residents, but that would be “confining us without a reasonable means of escape”.
State Williamstown MP Wade Noonan, who is raising the issue in Parliament this week, said he was “genuinely distressed” about reports he had heard that residents were too scared to leave their apartments.
“Every sort of crime is happening: robbery, assaults, threats of violence, misuse of illegal substances, sale of illegal substances, vandalism, graffiti. Police are losing the fight and the law-abiding residents are being subjected to hell on earth.
“This is an unmitigated disaster. If the society don’t feel safe enough to step foot in the door then who will help the poorest and most disadvantaged in our community?”
Police have suggested more CCTV cameras in stairwells and hallways to deter people from visiting the estate to buy or sell drugs or cause violence. They have also suggested identifying troublemakers and moving them somewhere else.
Hobsons Bay’s Inspector Richard Paterson said Williamstown police had a very high presence at the flats but could only investigate crime if people reported it.
“We’ll be doing some analysis about crime and incidents in the area,” he said.
Ms Lovell’s office referred the Weekly’s questions about crime and safety concerns to the department.
DHS spokeswoman Ruth Ward said although there had been no recent complaints from residents, the department had contacted police to discuss issues raised by Vinnies.
“We are also in contact with St Vincent de Paul to discuss the society’s concerns and the estate’s community room has been offered for the society to use as an alternative to visiting individual flats.
“The department can and does take action against tenants or households who are in breach of their tenancy agreement, or who are charged with or convicted of a serious crime.
“[We are] happy to discuss with police the possibility of installing additional cameras to improve security for tenants at the estate.”
