0200 —HUMAN SERVICES PLAN

Question asked on 16 October 2007 (session 541) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 19.
Answer received on 27 November 2007and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 31.

Ms Hale to the Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure, and Minister for the Hunter representing the Minister for Planning, Minister for Redfern Waterloo, Minister for the Arts—

1. Are there any plans for additional funding for the RWA Human Services Plan?

The RWA's Human Services Plan is premised on reforming and improving service delivery within existing budget resources.

2.

1. What money has been outlaid on direct service provision through the Human Services Plan?

2 .What are the spending: client ratios for the programs funded?

The Human Services Plan identified priorities and actions to improve service delivery. Requests on spending ratios should appropriately be directed to individual service providers of the programs.

3. What is the proposal for co-ordinating human services and implementing the Human Services Plan when funds are exhausted this financial year?

Implementation of the Plan will continue after this financial year within the RWA's and other agencies budget resources.

4. What allocation of the Human Services budget of the RWA was spent on:

1.Salaries of RWA staff?

2.One off projects run by the RWA?

3.Providing funding for ongoing projects run by local NGO organizations?

The RWA's financial statements will be detailed in its 2006-2007 Annual Report to be tabled in Parliament in November.

5. How has funding been provided for government department projects for service deficiencies identified in the Human Services review?

I refer you to each Department's Annual Report in relation to funding of services.

6. What evaluation criteria has been used to assess the success or otherwise of Human Services projects?

An Evaluation Framework was developed to assist the RWA and partner agencies measure trends and outcomes in the implementation of the Human Services Plan. Supporting the Evaluation Framework is a set of key performance indicators that will measure the impact of actions identified in Phase One of the Plan. The first evaluation will be completed in 2008 and cover Phase One actions only.

7. What is the statistical evidence of their effectiveness?

See answer to question 6.

8. As the RWA was planning to locate local youth services within a one stop shop, partly in recognition of the substandard premises that most of them were operating from, why can't money be allocated to upgrade them in their existing locations?

The RWA and the Department of Housing are jointly contributing $1 million towards the construction of a new Police and Citizens Youth Club at the redeveloped former Redfern Public School. This funding is conditional on the new PCYC serving as a youth services one-stop-shop in accordance with the Human Services Plan. The PCYC has formally agreed to this. Similarly, the RWA is also working closely with the City of Sydney on a new youth services facility at its proposed redeveloped South Sydney Youth Services building at Waterloo Oval.

0202 —BUILT ENVIRONMENT PLAN

Question asked on 16 October 2007 (session 541) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 19.
Answer received on 27 November 2007and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 31.

Ms Hale to the Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure, and Minister for the Hunter representing the Minister for Planning, Minister for Redfern Waterloo, Minister for the Arts—

1. What timeframe is anticipated for Stage 2 of the Built Environment Plans and how long have budget allocations been made for this purpose?

It is anticipated that the first draft of the RWA's Built Environment Plan (Stage 2) could be available for public exhibition by March 2008. Any funding will be within the RWA's budget.

2. Are there any plans to sell or lease land or airspace as part of the redevelopment of Redfern Railway station?

1. If so, what is being considered?

There are no current plans to sell or lease land⁄airspace. The Built Environment Plan (Stage One), which was the subject of extensive community consultation in 2006, envisaged the potential for some commercial development as part of an upgraded Redfern Station.

3. How is the redevelopment of public housing planned in Stage 2 of the Built Environment Plan to be funded?

1. Are there any plans to sell or lease land currently occupied by public housing to fund the redevelopment?

2. If so, has any land been ear marked, or any proportion of land been ear marked?

The RWA and the Department of Housing are working in partnership to facilitate a comprehensive social housing improvement strategy for Redfern-Waterloo under Stage Two of the Built Environment Plan.. The Department has publicly announced the development of 106 new public housing dwellings on the eastern precinct of its Elizabeth Street Redfern site. This $27 million eco-friendly project will be partly funded by the sale of adjoining Department land to allow the development of 158 private dwellings. Under the proposed Stage Two, the NSW Governments commitments to public housing are:

• There will be no cuts to the amount of public housing
• Current residents will not be disadvantaged
• All public tenancies are secure.

0203 —REDFERN WATERLOO STREET TEAM

Question asked on 16 October 2007 (session 541) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 19.
Answer received on 27 November 2007and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 31.

Ms Hale to the Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure, and Minister for the Hunter representing the Minister for Planning, Minister for Redfern Waterloo, Minister for the Arts—

1. Were there any funds left over from the Redfern Waterloo Street Team?

1. If so, what happened to the funds?

2. Were they expended to address the needs of youth in Redfern -Waterloo?

3. If so, how?

2. When will the Street Team Project Report be released?

3. Does the Street Team Project Report contain a full financial report?

1. If not, why not?

4. When will the evaluation of the outcomes of the Street Team project be released?

5. Does the Street Team Project Report contain a costing per client service delivered compared with other providers operating in the same sector?

6. What was the Street Team Project costing per client service delivered compared with other providers operating in the same sector?

The report referred to was subject to Cabinet confidentiality and thus was not publicly released. The Street Team project was formally discontinued in 2005 shortly after the RWA assumed responsibility for the former Redfern-Waterloo Partnership Project. Residual funding was reallocated by the RWA Board to a number of worthwhile projects and activities to benefit the youth and young people of Redfern-Waterloo and in accordance with the Human Services Plan.

Project funding was reallocated to other important youth and community intitiatives including:

• $750K capital funding for the Yaama Dhiyaan Indigenous Training College
• $500K capital contribution for a new Police and Citizens Youth Club at the redeveloped former Redfern Public School
• Funding for youth coordinator positions at Alexandria School and South Sydney Youth Service
• Funding to assist the relocation of the Fact Tree youth service to a new drop-in centre at Waterloo Oval
• Grants to local organisations

0205 —RWA PLANS

Question asked on 16 October 2007 (session 541) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 19.
Answer received on 27 November 2007and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 31.

Ms Hale to the Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure, and Minister for the Hunter representing the Minister for Planning, Minister for Redfern Waterloo, Minister for the Arts—

1. Have evaluation frameworks been set up to evaluate the RWA plans?

1. If so, when will these frameworks ⁄ benchmarks be publicly released?

See response to the question on notice 200.

2. When will the RWA publicly release progress evaluations on the implementation of the HSP and the EEP?

See answer to question 1.

3. When will the RWA in its current guise be wound up?

There are no plans to wind up the RWA.

4. Will an exit strategy be developed for the demise of the RWA in its current format?

1. If not, why not?

2. If so, what?

See answer to question 3.

5. Will the exit strategy be made public

1. prior to the event, or

2. immediately post event?

See answer to question 3.

6. Is it envisaged that another body will be created for the purpose of implementing⁄overseeing the delivery of the concepts developed under the RWA?

See answer to question 3.

7. What new or original projects has the RWA implemented?

All new projects implemented by the RWA are reported publicly including through 16,000 newsletters delivered to every dwelling in the area, on its website and in its Annual Report.

0210 —RWA BUSINESS ADVICE SERVICE

Question asked on 16 October 2007 (session 541) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 19.
Answer received on 27 November 2007and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 31.

Ms Hale to the Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure, and Minister for the Hunter representing the Minister for Planning, Minister for Redfern Waterloo, Minister for the Arts—

1. Have there been reports from aboriginal people that the RWA's business advice service has not given assistance or returned phone calls as well as negative feedback about the business skills course the RWA ran?

1. If so, what has been done about these reports?

The RWA has operated a free and confidential Aboriginal Business Service and the Redfern-Waterloo Business Service from its offices with the assistance of an experienced and qualified business professional. The services provided, including skills courses, are regarded as being successful.

0223 —REDFERN-WATERLOO PUBLIC HOUSING AND RWA BUILT ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN

Question asked on 17 October 2007 (session 541) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 20.
Answer received on 27 November 2007and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 31.

Ms Hale to the Minister for Primary Industries, Minister for Energy, Minister for Mineral Resources, and Minister for State Development representing the Minister for Housing, Minister for Tourism—

1.

1. How is the redevelopment of public housing planned in Stage 2 of the Built Environment Plan to be funded?

Any redevelopment of public housing that is planned in relation to the Built Environment Plan Stage 2, will be funded through Housing NSW. Note: the Elizabeth St Redfern redevelopment project is an initiative of Housing NSW that pre-dates the Built Environment Plan Stage 2.

2. Are there any plans to sell or lease land currently occupied by public housing to fund the redevelopment?

Yes

1. If so, has any land been ear marked, or any proportion of land been ear marked?

No specific sites have been identified for redevelopment in relation to the Built Environment Plan Stage 2.

2. Will those Department of Housing tenants who are moved during any redevelopment of public housing arising from the Built Environment Plan (stage One or Two) retain the same type of tenure, or will they have to sign new fixed-term leases upon relocating?

Public Housing tenants, who are relocated as a result of public housing redevelopment in Redfern and Waterloo, will retain the same type of tenure that they currently have.

3. Will there be available housing for those Department of Housing tenants who wish to return when the redevelopment is complete?

Every effort will be made to ensure that those tenants who wish to return to their former address can do so.

4. Will tenants be offered housing in the Redfern Waterloo area, or close by, during the redevelopment, to ensure community contact and continuity is protected?

To the extent that suitable properties are available, tenants will be offered housing in the Redfern Waterloo Area or close by while redevelopments proceed.

Questions can be tracked on the NSW Parliament web site at:

www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/v3hhblistpapers?open&h=LC&c=questions