Sartor Delivers on Redfern-Waterloo Jobs Plan

Minister for Redfern Waterloo, Frank Sartor, today released a comprehensive plan to generate 18,000 jobs for the Redfern-Waterloo area over the next decade.

Minister Sartor said he was pleased to deliver the final Employment and Enterprise Plan, after a draft was released in December last year for public consultation.

“This plan is already off to a strong start, with last week’s landmark agreement to build a new television production centre at the Australian Technology Park (ATP),” Mr Sartor said.

“It shows our approach is working and we will continue to deliver more job opportunities and training in Redfern and Waterloo, to help turn around social disadvantage.

“The $120 million ATP agreement with Sydney Broadcast Property and Pacific Magazines will increase jobs in Redfern and Waterloo by up to 20%.

“Most of this growth will be generated by future commercial development on State Significant Sites in the area, including the Australian Technology Park.

“Our overall employment plan complements the Built Environment Plan, which will drive urban renewal and jobs growth; and the Human Services Plan, which will improve youth services, childcare, literacy and other human services programs.

“Under the Employment and Enterprise Plan, we will coordinate strategies to stimulate jobs growth through commercial development and other means.

“Wealth creation is essential for the area to move forward in a constructive way.

“Until now, almost one-third of Redfern-Waterloo’s population receives income support, 40 per cent live in public housing, and almost four in ten households have a weekly income of less than $400.”

The final Employment and Enterprise plan also aims to:

• Facilitate a research and innovation zone running from the University of Sydney and UTS to the ATP by improving physical connectivity;
• Support small business growth and the hiring of local unemployed people through partnerships with State, Federal and Local Governments; and
• Establish programs to train locals to fill skills shortages, in particular industries located outside Redfern-Waterloo.

Mr Sartor said the initiatives would help to achieve the key goals under the Iemma Government’s City of Cities plan for Sydney’s future.

“Over the next 25 years, metropolitan Sydney will need an extra 6.8 million square metres of office space and a target of 58,000 new jobs has been set for the City of Sydney,” Mr Sartor said.

“We are working to meet that commitment, including the Redfern-Waterloo Authority’s construction of the $47.5 million Building D at the Australian Technology Park.

“The building will house multi-million dollar Commonwealth research agencies and is expected to create 600 permanent jobs by 2007.

“We have already delivered 105 jobs for local indigenous workers under the Redfern-Waterloo Authority Jobs Compact between the Redfern-Waterloo Authority and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.

“Further, a cross-cultural training and employment program in Indigenous cuisine will be established at North Eveleigh as part of a new $700,000 vocational training facility.

“And the Government will use its landmark Indigenous Employment Model to require successful construction tenderers to engage Aboriginal employees.”

The Employment and Enterprise Plan will be available at www.redfernwaterloo.com.au

The original media release can be downloaded here (pdf~18kb)

Click on this link to download The Employment and Enterprise Plan (PDF 154Kb)

Further info also on http://www.redfernwaterloo.com.au/redfern_waterloo_plan/employment_and_enterprise.php