An elderly woman who refused to be kicked out of the ‘eyesore ‘public housing block she lived in until last month has been named 2018 Sydney Woman of the Year.
Myra Demetriou, 91, was the final resident to be removed from the Sirius building, a famous housing commission block overlooking Sydney Harbour built back in 1979.
The legally blind great-grandmother, who lived on the building’s top floor with views of the Sydney Opera House and Circular Quay, led the failed campaign to ‘Save Our Sirius’.
And it’s for that reason Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich chose Ms Demetriou for the award, telling Daily Mail Australia she ‘epitomises everything that is right about a strong Sydney woman’.
Myra Demetriou (pictured, who lived in Sydney’s historic Sirius building, has been awarded the 2018 Sydney Woman of the Year
Alex Greenwich (right), the Member for Sydney, said he chose Ms Demetriou (left) for the award because she ‘epitomises everything that is right about a strong Sydney woman’
After handing the award to the pensioner on Thursday morning, Mr Greenwich said it was ‘a pretty easy choice’.
‘I was really proud to make Myra the Sydney Woman of the Year, she is someone who epitomises everything that is right about a strong Sydney woman,’ the independent MP said.
‘She doesn’t take no for an answer and fights hard to protect her community, despite all the adversity she’s had to go through.
‘The government is seeking to sell off and kick the residents out of the Sirius building and Myra has galvanised a lot of people and become the face of the “Save our Sirius” campaign.
The 91-year-old was the final resident to be removed from the Sirius building (pictured), a famous housing commission block overlooking Sydney Harbour built back in 1979
Ms Demetriou finally left the Sirius (pictured) in January, moving from Millers Point to a home in Pyrmont where she pays $100-a-week in rent
‘She doesn’t take no for an answer and fights hard to protect her community’: Mr Greenwich said of Ms Demetriou
‘There is other work Myra has done as a leader in the Millers Point community, so it’s something of an accumulation as well as her work on the Sirius campaign.’
Ms Demetriou finally left the Sirius in January, moving from Millers Point to a home in Pyrmont where she pays $100-a-week in rent.
But after spending 36 years living with incredible views of Sydney the pensioner said in the days after her eviction she hoped to soon return to the place she called home.
‘I am very sad to leave the area, but I can assure you our campaign to save Sirius will continue,’ she said.
Mr Greenwich said Ms Demetriou had been a community leader for many years and the award was in recognition of this and her Save Our Sirius campaign
Security guards were employed to monitor the building, even when Ms Demetriou was the last remaining resident
‘I will settle in here the best I can – but I am upset with the government for breaking up our lovely community.
‘I can’t believe the government still doesn’t realise it needs social housing in the city – it can’t all just be elsewhere.’
The award for NSW Woman of the Year was handed to Professor Hala Zreiqat, who is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Sydney.