Approval Paves the Way for Pemulwuy

Kristina Keneally, Minister for Planning, announced the good news at the Block in Redfern to an excited crowd of locals and politicians. “It’s a step forward to creating a modern, and a vibrant, and a sustainable community here in the heart of Redfern, on the Block,” she said

But the positive atmosphere could not ward off questions about where exactly funding for the project will come from.

Peter Valilis, Project Director at the AHC, has a simple explanation for why the source of funding has not yet been confirmed. “Until the project was actually approved, there was no point looking for the funds. In fact, if we had sought funding prior to having our application approved, we would have left ourselves susceptible to influence from governments or other potential financiers looking out for their interests,” he said.

The AHC has long prided itself on being an independent organisation that makes its own decisions. It is for this reason that some of the Planning Minister’s comments left puzzled looks on some faces.

Ms Keneally made particular mention of the residential aspect of Pemulwuy as a “vibrant new use for this land”, which undoubtedly would have pleased the AHC.

Mr Valilis has described the residential component as their hardest won victory, as this posed for them the biggest obstacle to approval during the Sartor years. The feud with Frank Sartor was no private affair, so many seemed confused when Ms Keneally went on to say, “The AHC has always enjoyed the support of its local members; State and Federal, and presence of Tanya Plibersek and Carmel Tebutt here today affirms that fact.”

This didn’t seem to bother her fellow politicians, though, with the abovementioned and even Lord Mayor Clover Moore keen to show their support. And nothing could dampen the spirits of Mick Mundine, CEO of the AHC, who seemed to be at a loss for words to express his happiness. The approval has marked a bittersweet day for Mundine, who clearly bears the battle scars from the ten-year fight for Pemulwuy.

“We went through hell. But that was a learning period for us; we had to go through those trials and tribulations,” he said.

For Mundine, who believes that Pemulwuy was always meant to be, it’s now time to get on with the job and look to the future. “Things are looking very promising around here.”