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Turnbull updates: empowering the community

Before Redfern residents Geoff and Lyn Turnbull joined community group REDWatch, they sent out e-mail updates to a community starved of information reports Samantha Van in the December 2006 issue of the South Sydney Herald.

According to Ms Turnbull, community meetings were poorly publicised. She recalled an occasion where, excluding her and Geoff, only five people attended. “They found out through our e-mails. People didn’t know these community forums were being held,” she said. “The e-mail [update] has really been about the information,” Ms Turnbull said. “It’s about spreading the information and letting people do with it what they want. It works to the benefit of the community to hear the voices of the community.”

Update subscribers have grown to about 1,000. The list includes people from various government departments including the NSW Departments of Planning, and Education and Training. “I look forward to the updates,” City of Sydney Councillor Tony Pooley said. “It’s a great credit to Geoff and Lyn that they endeavour to keep the community well informed. I find the updates comprehensive, written with a good local insight and a nice touch of humour.”

Another City Councillor praised the updates. “I think it’s a very valuable community resource,” Cr Marcelle Hoff said. “I know people rely on it to gather information they wouldn’t otherwise.”

The updates began as a result of a meeting in July 2003. The Redfern Partnership Project, a precursor to the Redfern Waterloo Authority, developed its RED Strategy. “Its format was very well developed,” she said. “Everyone [was concerned] and got together to form the Redfern

Water Futures. The RED Strategy only looked at the built environment,” Lyn said.

The group was concerned that many social issues would be neglected. While nothing happened, Geoff and Lyn used the group’s resources. “We used that [group’s] list to go to people and say ‘It would be a good idea to look at this, so we can get the best deal for the community’.” Lyn compared the situation to the Carlton & United Brewery proposed development in Chippendale. “It’s been the same sort of process,” she said. For similar reasons, a community response is needed to try to get a government response.

The updates are separate to REDWatch. However, they are complementary – informing and working for the community - and accessible on the group’s website.

Thanks Lyn and Geoff!

Source: South Sydney Herald December 2006