Former RWA adviser expressed concern over board and community consultation

REDWatch, a group of community residents from Redfern, Waterloo, Eveleigh and Darlington, is lobbying the RWA for “sustainable, responsible economic and social development” in stage one of its Redfern Waterloo Plan. Comprising the Employment and Enterprise Plan, the Human Services Plan and the contentious Draft Built Environment Plan, the Redfern Waterloo Plan is the primary focus for the RWA concerning the development of the region over the next 10 years.

Gary Moore was co-chair of an advisory committee to the RWA on the Human Services Plan and expressed concern that the RWA was a “top down” appointed corporation whose Board did not adequately represent the broad community and business interests of the Redfern-Waterloo area. Of the eight RWA board members, five are State Government representatives, one runs a CBD based property consultancy business, one is an architect from the UNSW, and another is an employee of an ASX listed multinational company.

A spokesperson for the Minister for Planning Frank Sartor said in response, “The Minister appointed a high-level, professional board to the RWA, including the head of the Premiers Department, Col Gellatly, the Premier’s adviser for the Infrastructure Implementation group, David Richmond and the former Lord Mayor of Sydney, Lucy Turnbull.”

Mr Moore also criticised the RWA’ s alleged suppression of social and community interests which are represented within the RWA by advisory committees. “Rather than directly advising the Minister or even the Board, the (advisory committees’) views are filtered by senior management groups whose culture and motivations govern the ultimate messages received,” explained Gary.

REDWatch spokesperson Geoff Turnbull supports this view. “The RWA needs to get closer to the coal face rather than filter community views and opinions. They will get there in the end but (the current structure in place) draws out the process and wastes RWA time and money,” said Mr Turnbull.

Of this criticism, Frank Sartor’s spokesperson said, “The Ministerial Advisory Committees are providing significant input to the formulation and implementation of the Redfern-Waterloo Plan.”

REDWatch’s Geoff Turnbull suggested the RWA should appoint one community representative body to advise them on community concerns and issues - a palatable suggestion, given all three plans seek to benefit the residents of Redfern-Waterloo and are therefore not independent from each other.

Sartor’s spokesperson chose not to directly respond to this strategic suggestion stating, “The Minister and his office receive extensive briefings on community views and submissions, but if there are members of any committees who feel their voices have not been heard then they are also free to approach him directly.”

[South Sydney Herald August 2006]