Why this vulnerable great-grandfather, 93, is being booted out of his home of 60 years by Annastacia Palaszczuk’s government
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A 93-year-old great-grandfather has made a desperate plea to continue living in his home for more than 60 years as the state government prepares to evict him over the upcoming Olympics.
Trevor Connolly has lived in the Brisbane suburb of Coorparoo House since he moved in in 1962 at the age of 11.
However, due to an expansion to the nearby GABBA Stadium for the 2032 Olympic Games, the adjacent East Brisbane State School will be relocated.
The state Department of Education is preparing to forcibly buy Mr Connolly’s home to turn it into a school drop-off zone and initially gave the retired widow until Christmas to get out.
Mr Connolly, a former electrician, is suffering from the early stages of dementia and is dreading living anywhere else.
Trevor Connolly, 93, is evicted from his home of more than 60 years over Olympics redevelopment
‘Where can you go after 60 years? You spent 60 years of your life here,” he told Channel Nine’s A Current Affair on Wednesday night.
“The thought of moving… I don’t like the thought of moving.”
“It’s a house with a capital h.”
He made a direct appeal to the Premier of Queensland.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk, don’t throw me out of my house,” he begged.
Mr Connolly’s modest home is decorated with photographs of his late wife Margaret and is home to many memories of the couple who raised their two daughters there, then grandchildren and now great-grandchildren.
The home’s basement is what Mr. Connolly called his “man cave” and is filled with radio and electronic equipment.
“There’s always something to play with, something to fix, something to make,” he said.
When asked what he would do if he packed up and moved the battery of a lifelong handyman, he said he would have to give it away to friends.
Mr Connolly has lived in his Brisbane home since 1962, when he moved in at the age of 11
Daughter Anne Connolly said a man with such a strong attachment to his home and street should be able to live out his years there peacefully.
“No 93-year-old should have to worry about those things at their stage of life,” she said.
She accused the department of trying to get the property for a “cheap price” but said she will make sure that doesn’t happen.
“That will be part of my motivation going into the negotiations: that he can stay here for the rest of his days,” she said.
“I think they owe him, a 93-year-old, something. I think they owe him so much.”
Mr Connolly is equally adamant.
‘I don’t want to move, it’s that simple, and I don’t want the house to be demolished. I just want to stay here for the remaining years,” Trevor said.
‘It’s absolute madness to take the house for what? Just to make a way through it.’
In response to Channel Nine’s questions, the department revealed it would extend the deadline for Mr Connolly to remain in office until next year, but did not provide a more specific date.
Mr Connolly has made a direct plea to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) not to kick him out
The department said that ‘decisions to acquire land are not taken lightly’ and after a lengthy period of submissions and consultation it was determined that there was no other suitable location to relocate the school.
“The department has been in negotiations with the property owner for a number of months and is committed to negotiating in an open, compassionate and conciliatory manner,” the department told Channel Nine.
“The Queensland Government is committed to compensating fair and reasonable costs for the purchase of real estate, with a responsibility to spend taxpayers’ money appropriately.”