Block proposal divides community

Block resident Lani Tuitavake is among those concerned about the proposal. “I’m for education but against the location,” she said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate to have a school at a Community Centre. A Community Centre is supposed to be for the community.”

“If St Andrew’s move in, we will lose a valuable space,” Ms Tuitavake said. “The other thing I don’t like is that a needle [exchange] bus is close by – located on Hudson St or Yellowmundee Park – and there practically all day.” The location of the proposed campus seems to be the main issue. “A lot of people I’ve spoken to are unhappy for it to be at the community centre,” she said. “They’re all for education but not the location … I can’t understand why the kids would be in a separate campus. It seems like a segregation mentality.”

Redfern Residents for Reconciliation (RRR) would also support the Indigenous campus, but oppose the location. “It is totally inappropriate for a church to take over one-third of the centre,” RRR spokesperson Lyn Turnbull said.

“We understand that a site needs to be found, preferably in Redfern, close to the [railway] station,” RRR’s response to St Andrew’s development application says. “However it can’t be [at] the Community Centre, and it should not be on, near or associated with the Block.” According to RRR, it would set a dangerous precedent for private use of public facilities and divide a community that could well do without that.

Redfern Pastor Ray Minniecon of Crossroads Aboriginal Ministries, who helped set up the school, told the Herald that “we are not fixed on the location. If the community doesn’t want the school at the community centre we will go elsewhere. We are looking at other sites.” When asked why the Indigenous school is needed, he pointed out that literacy and numeracy statistics for his community say it all – the system has failed the community. He went on to say the school would be an Aboriginal Christian school, rather than a Christian Aboriginal school. “In the end, it’s about choice. My community deserve to have a choice and they will.”

Source: South Sydney Herald February 2007