Roy Wakelin-King Leter to Central 14 October 2009

I would like to address several issues and suggestions raised in recent articles published in Central Sydney Magazine (30 September 2009) titled, All Quiet on the Redfern Front and Stalled Dreams of a Suburb on the Move.

Both of the articles referred to above are fundamentally wrong in many respects. These stories also mislead your readers in relation to the performance of the RWA over the last five years.

Since it’s inception in 2004 the Redfern Waterloo Authority (RWA) has worked hard to redevelop and revitalise the Redfern Waterloo area.

The suggestion made in the article All Quiet on the Redfern Front that the RWA is withholding a report from the ICAC is incorrect. The RWA is not in receipt of any report from ICAC in relation to this matter.

In accordance with my obligations as CEO of the RWA under the ICAC Act, I have reported the allegations to the ICAC and I have also, as advised, kept them informed of the investigation undertaken by the RWA in relation to this matter.

It needs to be made perfectly clear and emphasised on the public record the commitment of myself and the staff of the RWA to performing our duties with diligence, professionalism and probity. It’s what is rightly expected of us, and we accept this responsibility willingly.

In relation to the article titled Stalled Dreams of a Suburb on the Move the statement that the “RWA has yet to achieve the bulk of it aims” is highly erroneous.

Since 2004 the RWA has achieved and delivered significant improvements to the area which will have lasting positive benefits to the community of Redfern Waterloo.

The following is a list of some of these key achievements:

• The Koori Job Ready and Yaama Diyan courses recently celebrated their three year anniversaries, in that time more than 160 students have graduated, with the majority moving directly into employment.
• The redevelopment of the Rachael Forster Hospital, the proceeds of which have gone to the development of the Community Health Centre on Redfern Street
• The establishment of the award winning Eveleigh Farmers Markets,
• The implementation of planning controls for strategic sites in the area that are facilitating positive development opportunities

Other exciting opportunities emerging over the next 6 months include Channel 7, the Community Health Centre on Redfern Street and the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence (NCIE). These are just more examples of what the RWA has helped achieve for this area over recent years.

The future development of North Eveleigh, made possible by the recently approved concept plan, will provide for a massive boost to the area overall.

The record of the RWA thus far, which would not have been achieved without the commitment of the RWA and its staff, speaks for itself.

In public meetings I have acknowledged that not all members of the community will agree on the ways of achieving improvement in Redfern Waterloo. I have also advised however that respectful disagreement does not diminish the collective aspirations we all have for this area of Sydney.

Yours sincerely,

Roy Wakelin-King

Chief Executive Officer

Redfern-Waterloo Authority