Episodes

This is a special podcast for Homelessness Week 2026 focusing on the experiences of two older people.

Lillian has rented her private rental housing for 18 years. Whilst living with great dignity and creativity, her home is hot in summer and cold in winter, with minimal appliances and amenities. Yet asking for repairs or improvements is fraught with the fear of the landlord increasing her rent or serving her an eviction notice.

Len James is 76 years old and he tells a harrowing story of sleeping rough for two years and using strategies to survive before obtaining social housing and creating a successful arts projects supporting homeless people.

In this second episode focusing on Millers Point and the Sirius Building I speak to Barney Gardiner who has lived at Millers Point all his life. With Barney is Marie Sillars who has her own connection to Millers Point and also experienced forced relocation at the Ivanhoe Estate in Macquarie Park.

This is a two-part program about the scandal that occurred in Sydney between 2014-2018 where 580 public tenants were forced to relocate from their generations-long homes at Millers Point and the Sirius Building right on Sydney Harbour

In this introduction I discuss the plans for the podcast, who will be interviewed and some background on the problems facing older people at risk of homelessness.