Hume Mayor responds to backlash over ‘Broady Bronx’ label

The mayor of Hume City has responded to backlash over his use of a pejorative term for a public housing area in Broadmeadows.

Hume mayor Joseph Haweil is under fire from some residents after calling the Banksia Gardens estate the “Broady Bronx” in an opinion piece published in the Herald Sun.

But he says he didn’t invent the name.

“It is a pejorative term that’s not one I coined. It’s been called that, if we’re honest, for decades,” he told Neil Mitchell.

Councillor Haweil says the area is “Victoria’s most disadvantaged public housing estate” and took aim at the state government for failing to provide desperately needed funds for the area.

Press PLAY below to hear Cr Haweil responding to backlash over his use of ‘Broady Bronx’ + his state government criticism

“We very, very warmly welcomed the state government’s earlier $5 billion commitment to public housing. The only problem is that not a cent of it has been invested in a place like Banksia Gardens which is in desperate need of attention,” he said.

“The area just needs complete redevelopment and it’s a state government responsibility.”

Image: Joseph Haweil/Hume City Council (inset), Google Maps (background)