Wednesday night saw over 800 people attend the Founding Assembly of the Hunter Community Alliance in Newcastle. Shelter NSW members and staff joined hundreds of other community leaders in for what was a fantastic, energetic evening.
We were especially glad to hear NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson publicly commit to ensuring a tenant-led renewal of the Hamilton South public housing estate, and to meeting annually with the Hunter Community Alliance. We are eager to see if the Minister can build on existing government plans for new social and affordable housing in Newcastle and the Hunter, but there were no firm commitments on these asks at this event. 
 
Actions like this are only possible thanks to the dedicated work of organisers and local leaders from the community sector, faith communities, and the union movement. We would like to especially commend Barbel Winter (pictured below), a Shelter NSW member who has worked incredibly hard with the HCA these past months to build support for housing justice in her community. Barbel helped to turnout a strong delegation of old and new Shelter NSW members, and represented Shelter NSW on stage as the partner organisations officially signed on to the Alliance.  

Keep an eye out for updates on the HCA in our eBulletins. If you are based in the Hunter and would like to get involved in the Alliance’s campaigns, just reach out to us and we can put you in touch with organisers.

The Alliance has a major focus on housing affordability, alongside the push for a community-led transition to renewable energy and other important issues. Shelter NSW members have access to subsidised community organising training, with sessions run regularly by the Alliance, so we encourage any members interested in organising for the common good, no matter your experience, to take up this opportunity!