Residents in public housing towers slated for demolition will not learn if they are successful in their fight against the Victorian government until next year.
The class action claims Homes Victoria did not properly consider the residents’ human rights before deciding to demolish the towers in Carlton, Flemington and North Melbourne.
The decision was announced by former premier Daniel Andrews as part of the Labor government’s policy in September 2023.
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The trial began in the Victorian Supreme Court yesterday, where Homes Victoria chief executive Simon Newport conceded Andrews made the announcement before residents were notified.
He told the court the government body did carry out community consultation afterwards, including an open forum.
The trial was due to continue today, but the case was instead adjourned so the parties could fight over the production of secret documents.
Lawyers for Homes Victoria told the court some of the requested material falls under cabinet privilege and does not need to be released.
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Justice Melinda Richards said another judge would need to decide on the document question, with a hearing date yet to be fixed.
She was originally planning to hand down her decision in the class action trial within the next two months but the legal argument will delay her ruling.
“I had expected to give the parties a decision by the end of the year,” she said today.
“That’s now no longer going to be possible.”
The trial has been adjourned to a date to be fixed.
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