1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: From the newsroom a news dot Com today. 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,639 Speaker 2: Gooday there, I'm Andrew Bucklow. I've just had a quick 3 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 2: look at news dot com dot Au and one thing 4 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,119 Speaker 2: really stood out to me. We've got so many stories 5 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 2: online right now about different battles taking place all over Australia. 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 2: For example, there is a housing battle. A lot of 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 2: renters are pretty angry with real estate agents for rocking 8 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,440 Speaker 2: up late for residential inspections. 9 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 3: If she's supposed to be here nineteen eleven, it's eleven 10 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 3: oh four and she's not here. 11 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 4: And I have a client at twelve, So like, what 12 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 4: would you guys do? Do you just say sorry, no, 13 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 4: organize another reinspection? But like, do I have to keep 14 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 4: planning my house for her? 15 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 2: A very angry renter from TikTok there our sports team. 16 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 2: I've also got a story online about a footy battle. Yes, 17 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 2: AFL and NRL identities are squabbling over which code is 18 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 2: generating more buzz ahead of the season openers. You would 19 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 2: have to say the NRL is winning that one. I've 20 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 2: heard nothing about the AFL season so far. There's also 21 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 2: a story online about a battle that's raging right now 22 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 2: in Lizmore, New South Wales that's still bearing the scars 23 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 2: of those devastating floods from twenty twenty two. So the 24 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 2: state government is at war with a bunch of squatters 25 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 2: who've moved into homes that were left abandoned after that 26 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: horrific natural disaster. They won them gone, but the squad 27 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,759 Speaker 2: as well, they ain't a budging. One of our reporters 28 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 2: went to Lismore to get the lowdown on this to's 29 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 2: your report back in just a moment. 30 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:23,039 Speaker 1: Well, I'm sure. 31 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 2: Every Ossie remembers those catastrophic floods that hit Lizmore, a 32 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 2: city located in the Northern Rivers region of New South 33 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 2: Wales back in twenty twenty two. 34 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 5: Much of the Northern River city of Lismore is underwater tonight. 35 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: It's worst flooding on record. 36 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 5: Four people have now been confirmed dead in Lismore, with 37 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 5: two more bodies found today. Catastrophic floodwaters are slowly starting 38 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 5: to ease in parts of Lizmore and residents are now 39 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 5: confronting a grim new reality. 40 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was absolutely awful. The city is now facing 41 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 2: another challenge known as squatters. Here to tell us Morris 42 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 2: News dot com dot to use Lexikartwright who's been in 43 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 2: Lizmore recently. 44 00:01:57,640 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: LEXI great to chat. 45 00:01:58,600 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 4: To you, Thanks for having me. 46 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: Let's go back a. 47 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 2: Couple of years. So many homes were destroyed in those floods. 48 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 2: What happened to those properties? 49 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, Look, around fifteen hundred homes were destroyed in the 50 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 3: twenty twenty two Lismore floods. In the aftermath, it took 51 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 3: about a year, but the state government purchased around six 52 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 3: hundred at those homes they were deemed unsafe to live in, 53 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 3: and there was a bunch of plans thrown around, but 54 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 3: ultimately the plan was to move people off the flood 55 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,639 Speaker 3: plane and get them into a safe area. But unfortunately, 56 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:33,239 Speaker 3: three years on, most of those homes, in fact, basically 57 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 3: all of them, bar about four or five, are still 58 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 3: laying dormant across the city. They've been abandoned. They've bought 59 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 3: it up and fenced off, and honestly, as you said, 60 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 3: I was in Lismore and the city is really resembling sort. 61 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 4: Of a post apocalyptic ghost town. It's really quite sad. 62 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 2: So for all the people who sold their homes to 63 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:55,119 Speaker 2: the state government, what happened to them? Did they stay 64 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 2: in Lismore or did they move into state. 65 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, I guess it's hard to sort of quantify exactly 66 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:03,399 Speaker 3: what people did, but a lot of people just took 67 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:07,639 Speaker 3: the cash and moved elsewhere. That city is very flood prone. 68 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 3: They've been through a lot of pain, so the government 69 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:11,959 Speaker 3: offered pretty competitive prices for their home. 70 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 4: So a lot of people did take the cash and 71 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 4: move elsewhere. 72 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 3: A lot of people have private land nearby that they 73 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 3: hope to eventually relocate their old. 74 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 4: Home and move it onto that land. And a lot 75 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 4: of people are still sort of living in floodplains. 76 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 2: And so we've got all these abandoned homes that the 77 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 2: state government has purchased in Lismore, and from what I 78 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 2: understand from your reporting, a bunch of squatters have moved 79 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 2: into these abandoned homes. 80 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: What can you tell us about these squatters? 81 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 3: Well, look, it's known as Squatters Lane by the town 82 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 3: mayors Steve Kraig. 83 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 4: It's about a kilometer from the CBD which was. 84 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 3: Once bustling, so surper close to you know, the action 85 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 3: of Lismore. It's called Pine Street and the government bought 86 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 3: about fifteen homes on Pine Street and around six or 87 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 3: seven of them have been taken over by about fifty squatters. 88 00:03:58,600 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 4: Most of them are foreigners. 89 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 3: Couple I spose to were from Australia, one of them 90 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 3: from the Sunshine Coast, and they're basically a lot like us, Bucky. 91 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 3: They're very busy. They start the day with a big 92 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 3: family feast, a big breakfast, and then they usually move 93 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 3: on to a workshop of some sort, whether that's. 94 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 4: Yoga, inner reflection. 95 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 3: They share their knowledge with each other and then I 96 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 3: found most interesting that they. 97 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 4: Run sort of like their own little little community. 98 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 3: They have a meeting every Tuesday at six pm to 99 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 3: talk about finances. Everyone pitches five dollars to the weekly 100 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 3: grocery shop and gas. 101 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 4: But then you know, it matters turned to internal relations. 102 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 4: There's a lot of drama. 103 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,239 Speaker 3: Obviously, when you're living with fifty people in an abandoned home, 104 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 3: there might be some drama. 105 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 4: So they have to navigate their conflict as well. 106 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: So they formed what kind of like a collective. 107 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 2: I don't I'm not saying it is a hippie commune, 108 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 2: but it kind of sounds a little bit like that. 109 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:56,600 Speaker 1: Is that fair? 110 00:04:57,680 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 2: Yeah? 111 00:04:58,040 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 4: I think that's fair. 112 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 3: They do think they can get back to the city 113 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 3: of Lismore because obviously they're leaving there for free. Some 114 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 3: people think they're taking advantage of you know, what this 115 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 3: city has been through. 116 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 4: But they tell me that they want. 117 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 3: To host weekly or at the moment monthly event nights 118 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 3: where locals can come and watch them perform. 119 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 4: They threw their first one before Christmas. 120 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:21,119 Speaker 3: There was fire breathers and poetry readings and all sorts 121 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 3: of things. So they think they can give back to 122 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:27,799 Speaker 3: the community of Lismore through art, essentially through performance. 123 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: Let's have a quick listen to what one of them 124 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 1: had to say to you, Lexi. 125 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 6: We don't take advantage, but we know that we are 126 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 6: taking advantage because of course we live here and it's 127 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 6: a beautiful place and we have the privilege of rufon Harahat, 128 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 6: so we know that we are taking a lot. But 129 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 6: at the same time, we want to give a lot 130 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:48,840 Speaker 6: at this community and this city. 131 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 2: Okay, the state government's not very happy about these squatters. 132 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 2: From what you've said in your reporting, they've asked them 133 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 2: to leave. 134 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: Is that right? 135 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:56,479 Speaker 4: That's right? 136 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 3: So in June last year, the state government's reconstruction of Already, 137 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 3: which was formed after the twenty twenty two floods, they 138 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 3: issued a first eviction notice when they became aware of their. 139 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 4: Presence last year. The squad has refused to move. 140 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 3: As I mentioned before, they told me they think they're 141 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 3: giving back to the city of Lismon, and so the 142 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 3: RA have sort of escalated proceedings. They handed them a 143 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 3: second evicta notice a few days after I visited in 144 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 3: mid January actually, but the squatters are still refusing to leave. 145 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 4: So I did speak to a spokeswoman from the RA. 146 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 3: She was a bit corey on exactly what happens next 147 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 3: in terms of do they forcibly remove them? 148 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 4: Are they allowed to? All she said was. 149 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 3: Is they are commencing legal proceedings, a process which could 150 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 3: take several months. 151 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 4: So I think this standoff could continue for some time. 152 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 2: The state government's gone to pretty extreme lengths to try 153 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 2: and get rid of them. Is it right that they 154 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 2: turned their water off at some stage? 155 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 3: They did, they turned their water off last year, but 156 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 3: the squatters have found sort of nifty ways to reconnect it. 157 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 4: They've also found snifty ways to reconnect electricity. Obviously, these 158 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 4: are dangerous properties. 159 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 3: You know, they're in a flood plain, they're at risk, 160 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 3: so connecting electricity is probably not wise. 161 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 4: But they've managed to sort of get these big. 162 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 3: Generators that they've connected to solar panels so that they 163 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 3: can have some sort of electricity. 164 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 4: So they are there to stay. Bucky. 165 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 2: You went and visited these people in Lismore. These squatters 166 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 2: describe the setup inside this home where up to fifty 167 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 2: of them can live. 168 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's very much as I mentioned before. 169 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 3: They're all performers, they're all artists, so there's sort of 170 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 3: it's a home on stilts, so under. 171 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 4: The stilts is really where the action is. 172 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 3: There's couches people were lying around, there's a piano, there's bongos, 173 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 3: there's guitars, there's. 174 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 4: All sort of rules. 175 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 2: You know. 176 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 3: There was a big sign that said this is a 177 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 3: drug free zone, alcohol free zone. There was a big 178 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 3: evacuation plan in the event of a flood. 179 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 4: And then you sort of. 180 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 3: Go upstairs and there appeared to be one bedroom that 181 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:01,239 Speaker 3: around six or seven people were sharing. 182 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 4: The kitchen was in pretty good working order. Everything was 183 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 4: stacked away and organized. 184 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 3: There was vegetables from their own vegetable garden that was 185 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 3: stewing on the pan The pantry was, to be honest, 186 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 3: much more organized than mine. Everything was sort of separated 187 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 3: into you know, your rice and beans, perishables, nonperishables. 188 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 4: So they've really got I mean, they have the time 189 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 4: right to have it all worked out. But it was 190 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 4: in fairly good working order. When I visited. 191 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: Of the squatters that you spoke to, were they employed 192 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 2: at all? 193 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 4: Look, they did tell me they work the odd casual job. 194 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 3: The main one, Michelle, she told me she works casually 195 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,559 Speaker 3: in town as a chef, and most of the other 196 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 3: ones said they performed gigs here and there. But I 197 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 3: spoke to the mayor and he's of the impression that 198 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 3: no one is working in town at all. 199 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 2: Stick around in just a moment, we'll find out what 200 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 2: liz Moore locals think of these squatters have taken up 201 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 2: residents in their abandoned homes. 202 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: Welcome back. 203 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 2: I'm chattington neews dot com dot to use lexikart right 204 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 2: about a bunch of squatters who've moved into abandoned homes 205 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 2: in Lismore. LEXI the state government wants these squatters to 206 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 2: move out, so too does the Lismore mayor. What about 207 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 2: the locals that you spoke to when you were in Lizmore, 208 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 2: What did they have to say? 209 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, obviously no one's happy about it. 210 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 3: I think the general consensus among residents in Lismore is 211 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 3: that they feel forgotten. And I guess the squad is 212 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 3: a sort of small piece of the pie of what 213 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 3: I've been working on, and that's sort of you know, 214 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 3: this beautiful, this once vibrant town, it's so colorful, residents 215 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 3: love living there, that most of the businesses are generational. 216 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 3: They feel forgotten. 217 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 4: They feel that the state government has really dragged the 218 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 4: chain on this. 219 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 3: And if I just take you back to you know, 220 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 3: when the small Queensland town of Grantham flooded back in 221 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:55,559 Speaker 3: twenty eleven. Within the year, people who in flood affected 222 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 3: properties were handed the keys to their new. 223 00:09:57,800 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 4: Home and moved to higher ground. 224 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 3: It was essentially mass community relocation that happened within the 225 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 3: space of twelve months. And three years on, most of 226 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 3: these homes are still abandoned, awaiting relocation or demolishment. 227 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 4: And I guess, yeah, the general vibe is that they feel. 228 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 3: Really forgotten and really let down, and as a result, 229 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 3: most people are leaving liz Moore and the mayor has 230 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 3: real concerns for the future of his city, whether it 231 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 3: will survive this. 232 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 1: So Lexie, when you talk about relocation. 233 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 2: I just want to ask you about this. Are you 234 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 2: talking about they're actually going to pick up these abandoned 235 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 2: homes and move them to a safer area. 236 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, so seventy percent of the homes that are left 237 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 3: in Lizmore have been deemed eligible to be moved. 238 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 4: They're safe to be moved. 239 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:42,960 Speaker 3: They'll need to be renovated that they can be relocated. 240 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 3: The mayor really wanted a land swap. He wanted to 241 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 3: keep his community intact. He wanted to the government to 242 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 3: move most of these homes to higher ground. But the 243 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,679 Speaker 3: way that it's unfolding, it's sort of people are being 244 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 3: able to sort of take the cash from the sale 245 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 3: and move wherever they want. It's a democracy. People have 246 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 3: the right to do that. But the mayor feels there's 247 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 3: been very little choice left and he feels like his 248 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 3: community is sort of crumbling around him. I mentioned it 249 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 3: was about six hundred abandoned homes. That's six hundred less. 250 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 4: Rate payers in his community. There's about one point six 251 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 4: million dollars in outstanding rates. So yeah, they're really struggling. 252 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 3: And as you can understand, it's difficult for the man 253 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 3: because he, you know, he's prongly is more he fights 254 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 3: for the little meeting his community, and he just feels 255 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 3: like it's sort of. 256 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 2: Falling apart, and it feels like these squatters are just 257 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 2: like another problem that they have to deal with now, 258 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 2: a bit of pain in the ass. 259 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 3: Well, they're not leaving, so I tried to get a 260 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 3: clear answer on because that was you know, how do 261 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 3: you actually get them out of there? If they're refusing 262 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 3: to move. The government owns this land, you'd think that 263 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 3: it wouldn't be so complex, but I suppose they don't 264 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 3: want to take the drastic measure of forcibly removing these people. 265 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 3: They are keeping the peace, you know, they're not causing problems. 266 00:11:58,679 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 4: Will this be a court showed? 267 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 3: How will people who you know don't have jobs fund 268 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 3: sort of going to court? 269 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 4: I will keep on top of it. I'm not sure 270 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:08,680 Speaker 4: exactly where. 271 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 3: It's going, but at the moment it's a standoff, so 272 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 3: we'll have to We'll have to wait and see where 273 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 3: this ends up. 274 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,439 Speaker 2: A squatters stand off in lizmar with Lexi Kart right 275 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 2: in the middle. It's got all the makings of a 276 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 2: reality TV show, and I can't wait to see what 277 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:23,839 Speaker 2: happens Lexi, thank you so much for chatting to from 278 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 2: the Newsroom. 279 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,200 Speaker 1: Thanks Bucky, Well you heard Lexi. 280 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 2: She will keep you up to date on this story 281 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:30,559 Speaker 2: at news dot com dot A youu in the meantime. 282 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening, follow 283 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 5: Us, subscribe to from the Newsroom wherever you get your podcast.