Oaks Estate Residents Voice Concerns Over Violence and Social Housing Policies
Police in the Australian Capital Territory are currently investigating a disturbing late-night incident in Oaks Estate, where a man was struck by a vehicle during a confrontation that required dozens of officers to respond. The troubled suburb, separated by bushland from central Canberra but adjacent to Queanbeyan, has become the focal point of growing community unrest.
Details of Recent Violent Incidents
According to ACT Policing, emergency services transported a 39-year-old man with significant leg injuries to hospital following the car ramming incident. "His leg got caught and was mutilated," reported Bronwyn Spackman of the Oaks Estate Residents' Association, highlighting the severity of the attack.
This event follows what residents describe as a pattern of escalating violence in the area. Just before Christmas, another incident involved a discharged firearm, prompting increased police patrols. Despite this presence, Spackman noted that "it didn't stop a gang war fight about to happen with iron bars carried by one side and steel baseball bats the other."
In a separate occurrence last month, a man allegedly had his finger severed by a sword during a physical altercation, adding to the community's growing sense of insecurity.
Community Calls for Government Intervention
Following these terrifying events, the Oaks Estate Residents' Association has formally requested that the ACT government reconsider its approach to social housing allocation in the suburb. "We are not against public housing," clarified Fiona MacGregor, President of the association. "But what we want is an appropriate mix of people, not just people with complex needs."
MacGregor emphasized that the current housing mix creates unfair circumstances for peaceful public housing residents, including vulnerable individuals such as a mother and children who had fled domestic violence elsewhere.
Allegations of Government Neglect
The Residents' Association has long maintained that Oaks Estate has become a "dumping ground" for individuals recently released from prison or those with psychiatric challenges. In a strongly worded email to ACT government ministers, including Chief Minister Andrew Barr, Spackman questioned whether similar tolerance would exist if such incidents occurred in more affluent Canberra suburbs like Forrest, Yarralumla, Turner, Reid, or Dickson.
"If they did, the suburb and wider area would be in total lockdown and something would be done to protect those citizens," she wrote. "Apparently we are of less value. Are we, the residents of Oaks Estate EXPENDABLE, Barr?"
Spackman provided comparative statistics, noting that while government data shows Oaks Estate receives similar police call volumes to Charnwood, the population difference is stark. Charnwood has approximately 5,000 residents, whereas Oaks Estate has only 370 residents, with about 100 in government housing.
Government Response and Community Perspectives
The ACT government has stated its commitment to "making Oaks Estate a safer, healthier, and more connected place to live." In October, officials published the 27-page Oaks Estate Strategic Plan 2025-2030, which includes specific commitments such as conducting patrols to address roaming dogs and pet registration compliance.
However, residents argue that human safety should take precedence over such administrative measures. "The community wanted a regular police presence there," MacGregor emphasized, reflecting ongoing concerns about personal security.
While some residents have pointed to a complex of flats managed by the St Vincent de Paul Society, the organization clarified that neither individual involved in the recent car ramming incident resides in their Oaks Estate housing or participates in their Community Inclusion Program. The society has received recognition for its humanitarian work in challenging circumstances.
Broader Policy Context
Across the ACT, the government promotes a "'salt and pepper' approach to development" aimed at reducing concentrations of disadvantage through mixed housing that blends with neighborhood aesthetics. Despite this policy, Oaks Estate community leaders feel their suburb receives a disproportionate share of residents with complex needs, leaving them feeling neglected by Labor representatives in Civic.
The situation in Oaks Estate highlights ongoing tensions between social housing policies, community safety, and perceptions of equitable treatment across Canberra's diverse suburbs.
