Syrian refugees to call Eltham aged care facility home pending a planning permit approval
SYRIAN refugees could be housed in an Eltham aged-care facility pending the approval of a planning permit application.
St Vincent’s Health Australia will offer refurbished one-bedroom units at its Diamond St aged-care facility to Syrian refugees, with women and children given priority.
The offer followed the Federal Government’s announcement it would spend more than $900 million to resettle 12,000 refugees fleeing Syria and Iraq.
CatholicCare, who has partnered with SVHA on the project, stated in it’s winter newsletter theEltham Syrian refugee projectwould see 60 units available for short to medium-term rentals.
SVHA mission group leader Jack de Groot confirmed the plan and said the units would be leased to refugees for up to three years before being made available as affordable housing. Mr de Groot said he did not know when the refugees would arrive, but vulnerable women and children would be given priority.
“We don’t (have a time frame) because it’s really dependent on the arrival of the refugees in Australia and the other is the finalisation of the planning permit,” Mr de Groot said.
Nillumbik Council Mayor Bronnie Hattam said SVHA applied for a planning permit to seek approval for people under the age of 65 to live in the village.
“The planning application is currently at a preliminary assessment stage while council considers the planning logistics and merits of the application,” Cr Hattam said.
Mr de Groot said while the area’s healthcare services were “fine”, SVHA had its own public hospital in Fitzroy that would be available.
“There is an opportunity for these refugees under the Medicare card that they will have to access our healthcare system in Fitzroy,” he said.
Work experience, community projects and employment opportunities will be offered to the refugees.
