Redfern Waterloo Authority under fire

In a statement provided to Central, the RWA chief executive Roy Wakelin-King confirmed that an ICAC investigation and another by the NSW Internal Audit Bureau, found problems with “policies and procedures that need to be addressed”.

Mr Wakelin-King would not say what the problems were or how they would be resolved, and would not show either of the reports to Central.

He said in a statement that the RWA “has kept ICAC informed”.

Greens MLC Sylvia Hale questioned Mr Wakelin-King earlier this month during a parliamentary committee hearing and said the findings of the ICAC investigation needed to be made public.

“The public has a right to know what the ICAC investigation has found in relation to these serious allegations,” Ms Hale said.

Mr Wakelin-King said he requested an Internal Audit Bureau investigation after he became aware of the allegations of corruption, which were raised in letters sent to the Minister for Planning and Redfern-Waterloo, Kristina Keneally, and to the Premier Nathan Rees.

The letters, which were signed “RWA staff”, made specific and detailed allegations of corruption concerning staff appointments by former CEO Robert Domm.

The letters also raised questions about funding for the Eveleigh Markets and the purchase of a property on Little Eveleigh St, Redfern.

Mr Wakelin-King said the reports had found no evidence of impropriety or misconduct in relation to these specific allegations.

Mr Domm has rejected the allegations as false.

Ms Hale criticised Ms Keneally and Mr Wakelin-King during the parliamentary committee hearing for withholding the reports and said there could be no confidence in the RWA until the reports were made public

“The minister and the CEO have an obligation to deal with these allegations in an open and transparent way, not sit on the ICAC report and refuse to discuss the matter before a parliamentary committee,” Ms Hale said.

Redfern local Geoff Turnbull from residents’ group REDWatch (pictured on the front cover) has followed the RWA for the last five years.

Mr Turnbull said the difficulty was in knowing whether the letters referred to continuing practices or instances under a past administration.

“The question that needs to be legitimately asked is: What actually has changed?’’ Mr Turnbull said. “The minister and Mr Wakelin-King can stand up and say ‘oh well this happened before our time’. But the minister has now been there 12 months.

“All these promises were made that the RWA was going to do stuff differently once Kristina Keneally and Roy came in. But what is going to be pointed to show there is some serious change in the way in which they operate rather than blaming everything on the previous administration?”

Mr Wakelin-King defended the five-year history of the authority and said there had been significant progress by the RWA in delivering urban renewal to Redfern Waterloo.

“These outcomes are a reflection of the dedication and professionalism of the RWA staff, both past and present”, Mr Wakelin-King said. “You only have to look at the Eveleigh Markets to see the outcome of the good work being done by the RWA.

“It is this type of good work that has gone a long way to changing the misperceptions of this important area of Sydney.”

Source: http://sydney-central.whereilive.com.au/news/story/redfern-waterloo-authority-under-fire/

See also: RWA Statement: http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/statements/2009/090925rwa

Related: http://sydney-central.whereilive.com.au/news/story/redferns-stalled-dreams/