Gatwick Hotel

State Member for Southern Metropolitan Region, Margaret Fitzherbert

Today Martin Foley has been forced into a face-saving media release about the Gatwick, in response to a report on the weekend that The Block will not buy the Gatwick.
For months, Martin Foley has waited for Channel 9 to step in and do his job as the local MP and Minister for Housing.
Today’s media release offers no firm closure date, seeks the owners’ “co-operation”, and amounts to verballing the owners following one of their regular threats to close.
The Andrews Government’s new legislation for rooming house regulation is still not operating and won’t be until July – even though it was passed by the parliament last May – and even then, existing owners will have 120 days to comply.
Meanwhile, people continue to suffer and die at the Gatwick. It has killed local businesses on Fitzroy Street and many residents live in fear. The police have their own safety plan for when they visit the Gatwick, up to six times a day, and ambulances visit multiple times each week.
Last week I lodged a notice with the City of Port Phillip that the Gatwick Hotel constitutes a public nuisance. I invite Mr Foley to support this, and to use all his influence to urgently bring forward the operation of the Rooming House Operators Act 2016.

Media contact:   Margaret Fitzherbert     (03) 9681 9555       Margaret.Fitzherbert@parliament.vic.gov.au