REDWatch Co-ordination Group Report for 2023-2024

About

REDWatch is a proud grassroots group of volunteer residents and friends from Redfern, Eveleigh, Darlington and Waterloo. We support the existing diversity in these areas and promote sustainable, responsible economic and social development. We formed in 2004 in response to state government development plans under the Redfern Waterloo Participation Project (RWPP) and later the Redfern Waterloo Authority (RWA).

Guiding Ethos

As a group, we continually look to engage a variety of people across different communities, the nongovernment community sector (NGOs) and those who work in government. A significant focus for REDWatch is to facilitate a welcoming, inclusive and open space where various views and opinions can be shared without judgment. We are also conscious of elevating marginalised voices in all we do because, due to multiple reasons such as resource scarcity, time, or other, many groups and identities have unequal opportunities to engage with formal consultation processes or to obtain access to decision-makers.

We achieve our aims by remaining politically neutral. Our non-partisan governance structure is derived from our elected coordination committee, comprised of people from diverse political parties. To this end, we strongly encourage people from various political parties to join REDWatch. REDWatch is guided by the notion that the best ideas and outcomes are produced when diverse views and people come together. You can see more about how we operate in REDWatch Overview: Why, how and what we Do.

REDWatch Celebrates 20^th Anniversary

In May 2024 REDWatch celebrated 20 years since we were set up to monitor Government involvement in Redfern Eveleigh Darlington and Waterloo (the area covered the NSW Government’s RED Strategy and subsequently the Redfern Waterloo Authority and its Ministers for Redfern-Waterloo).

Our 20^th Anniversary meeting saw the attendance or messages from some of those who were active in forming REDWatch or in its initial year. This included Tony Pooley (last Mayor of South Sydney and leader of the “See Redfern before Frank sells it tour”); Ian Thompson (Save our Park and key as a Liberal Party person in getting support to changes to parts of the Redfern Waterloo Act); Elizabeth Rice (one of two planners who assisted REDWatch); Sylvie Ellsmore (City of Sydney Councillor) represented the Greens involved in setting up REDWatch and delivered apologies from Ben Spies Butcher (Macquarie University Academic). A statement from Jenny Leong (now Member for Newtown) who was also involved at the beginning was also read and congratulations from the City of Sydney were also delivered. Reflections were shared by many other long term active and founding members. Lani Tuitavake the Chief Operating Officer of the Aboriginal Housing Company thanked REDWatch for the role it had played in providing people with fair information about what was happening in the area.

The role of key people who had been active in forming and guiding REDWatch like Trevor Davies, Ross Smith and Councillor Irene Doutney were also recognised. You can find the presentation REDWatch did for its 20th Anniversary on the REDWatch website as REDWatch 20 years - How did we get here? The second part of the meeting that covered some of our achievements over the intervening years and people’s comments after the presentation can be found on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOqtUnzyoDo.

It was also encouraging to have Lord Mayor Clover Moore move a Mayoral Minute at a City of Sydney Council meeting congratulating REDWatch on its anniversary and for that to be supported and spoken to also by long time REDWatch members Councillor Sylvie Ellsmore from the Greens and Councillor Linda Scott from the ALP. Both parties were involved in establishing REDWatch in 2004. The Mayoral Minute was passed unanimously by Council, which reflects well on REDWatch’s approach of working with all Councillors across the political divides on issues of concern to our communities. You can see the Council letter recognising REDWatch's 20th Anniversary which also includes the Council resolution.

Activities

REDWatch undertakes a range of activities to advance our mission, including holding regular public meetings and forums, disseminating timely information through our website, social media and email list, and regularly engaging with policymakers, elected officials, senior bureaucrats and academics to keep up to date with local issues and organise community engagement opportunities. REDWatch also makes written submissions and media statements on a diverse range of issues.

Furthermore, REDWatch Spokesperson Geoff Turnbull represents REDWatch in meetings with government agencies and NGOs including in the development, implementation and governance of the Waterloo Human Services Collaborative and its Action Plan.

This year REDWatch has also provided expertise to external bodies through walking tours, presentations and participation in training sessions.  Where possible REDWatch requests a donation for this service to external groups which often helps students and professionals better understand our area, while also providing us with income to further our work. In the 2023-24 financial year this included income from sessions for:

• The Rail Bus and Tram Union (RBTU) Retired Members Association,
• The University of Sydney Festival of Urbanism and a student class walking tour
• The Australian New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) and
• Macquarie University student class presentation

REDWatch is a member of the following groups:

• Better Planning Network
• Groundswell Redfern Waterloo
• The Waterloo NAB’s Waterloo Redevelopment Group
• The Waterloo Human Services Collaborative and it Systems Co-ordination Group

Priority areas for REDWatch

• Public housing redevelopments, including Waterloo, Explorer Street South Eveleigh, and Elizabeth Street Redfern 
• Human Services Issues including participation in the Waterloo Human Services Plan
• Advocacy for affordable, social and public housing
• South Eveleigh heritage and public space protection
• Redfern station and southern concourse issues
• Campaign to build an active transport bridge between North and South Eveleigh
• Public land developments, such as the land surrounding Carriageworks in North Eveleigh (Paint Shop and Clothing Store Sub-Precincts)
• Coordination with other resident action groups to advance issues of common concern

REDWatch Coordination Committee

The REDWatch coordination group meets monthly to resource and coordinate our activities. Office holders and Co-ord Group members are elected each year. Those elected in 2023 were Natasha Sitanala, Geoffrey Turnbull, Peter Rothwell, Norrie, Karyn Brown, Savanna Peake and Ben Spies Butcher. We acknowledge their valuable contribution and recognise that changes in people’s lives means that there is continual turnover in the Coordination Group and that this opens up opportunities for new people to become involved and hopefully gain experience that they will find useful in the future.

Meetings held Since July 2023

We usually meet at 6 pm on the first Thursday of the month at Counterpoint’s The Factory Community Centre in Waterloo. This may change if are doing a joint session with other groups, need a larger venue or a meeting closer to a site of interest. These meetings are open to everyone and focus on critical local challenges or broader social and political issues impacting the local community.

REDWatch has a strong history of providing a place for people from across the community to come together to discuss the issues, receive information, and creating space for collective actions. As a part of this, REDWatch requests Council and Government bodies dealing with the local community to present to the community and answer questions in a community-controlled space.

Below is a list our meetings and tours since June 2023.

July 2023

·         Explorer Street South Eveleigh Rezoning with the Department of Planning

August 2023

·         On-street car charging with Ausgrid

September 2023

·         Waterloo South to Proceed and Homes NSW announcement – LAHC and Housing Minister’s staff

·         Presentation to Rail Tram and Bus Union Retired Workers

·         Participation case study panel for ANZSOG Federal Senior Public Service Training

·         REDWatch runs Walking tour of Redfern & Waterloo for Festival of “Contested” Urbanism

October 2023

·         People Power: Models that are changing communities and cities – Kurt Iveson

November 2023

·         REDWatch AGM and Social get together

·         Community Meeting on Explorer Street Rezoning at Alexandria Town Hall with ARAG and FOE

February 2024

·         Homes NSW starts with Minister Rose Jackson and CEO Rebecca Pinkstone

March 2024

·         Health Impact Assessment Scoping meeting with the Peer Educators

·         Talk to Macquarie University students on a walking tour

April 2024

·         How should we plan for growth?  With City of Sydney on proposed NSW planning changes

·         Sydney University Architecture student walking tour of Waterloo

May 2024

·         Draft People and Place Plan with Homes NSW Property Portfolio (previously LAHC)

June 2024

·         REDWatch 20 year Anniversary Celebration

July 2024

·         Maintenance Changes with Homes NSW for start of new maintenance contract

August 2024

·         City of Sydney Lord Mayor Candidates’ Forum Alexandria Town Hall with ARAG & FOE

September 2024

·         Homes NSW on North Eveleigh’s Clothing Store announcement

October 2024

·         Ending Loneliness with Jane Massa from Sydney Local Health District (SLHD)

·         REDWatch runs Walking tour of Waterloo for Festival of “Public” Urbanism

November 2024

·         REDWatch AGM and Social get together