The Redfern-Waterloo Plan (2004-2014) contains initiatives around three key strategies – infrastructure, jobs and human services

Review to Reshape Redfern- Waterloo Social Services

The new Minister for Redfern-Waterloo, the Hon. Frank Sartor and Minister for Community Services, the Hon. Carmel Tebbutt have released the findings of the first complete review of human services in the Redfern- Waterloo area.

The Review of the Human Services System in Redfern-Waterloo was carried out by independent consultants, Morgan Disney & Associates, during the first six months of 2004. It was commissioned by the Redfern-Waterloo Partnership Project in response to widespread community concern about the adequacy of human services in the area.

The Review found that there are a total of 102 organisations providing 192 services in Redfern-Waterloo, with 22 services specifically for Aboriginal people.

Thirty of the services are focused solely on the Redfern-Waterloo area with funding amounting to between $8 and $10 million. When taking into account all services provided across Redfern and Waterloo through locally based and out of area organisations, there is between $35 and $40 million invested in human services.

During the Review, about 550 people were consulted, including 200 residents and staff from 80 service providers.

Around 20 per cent of participants were Aboriginal people.

Significantly, the Review calls for a Human Services

Plan to be developed to improve integration across both government and non-government services.

The recommendations from the Report on the Review of Human Services, will now be used to help design strategies to ensure the right services are delivered to the right people – and that services work together to meet the needs of the community.

Invitation to attend Information Sessions

The Redfern-Waterloo Partnership Project has asked Morgan Disney & Associates, consultants responsible for the Review of Human Services in Redfern-Waterloo, to explain their finding to members of the community.

Information sessions will be held as follows:

Public Sessions
Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt Street, Redfern Wednesday, 15 December 5.30 pm – 8.00 pm Thursday, 16 December 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm

Sessions for Governance/Management Committees
Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt Street, Redfern Thursday, 16 December 9.30 am – 12.30 pm 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm

Information session for workers in human services
Redfern Community Centre, Hugo StreetFriday, 17 December 9.30 am – 1.30 pm

Positive findings on the services were:

• There are a broad range of services that are easily accessible with some Choice
• Many staff are valued and are seen as approachable and supportive, and very skilled in some services
• There is considerable local knowledge
• There is shared concern across all services of the issues facing the Redfern and Waterloo community

Challenges facing Redfern/Waterloo

Redfern and Waterloo have been recognised as areas where many residents are experiencing disadvantage. Particular areas highlighted by the report include high levels of:

• People living in public housing
• Unemployed and long-term unemployment
• People on disability and sickness benefits
• Psychiatric hospital admissions
• Children and young people who are leaving school early or not attending regularly
• People dealing with complex needs in their lives

Review Recommendations

Reform of the local services system will achieve improved outcomes for the community and clients. The Review found that there is considerable rhetoric, but few concrete examples of integrated service delivery.

According to the Review Report, research elsewhere confirms that this is common in human services systems: people may agree that integration is needed but they persist in acting in ways that continue the fragmentation of the system because it is not easy to change systems and develop new ways of working. The Review found that the way in which the current system operates within Redfern-Waterloo does not support people through integrative practice.

The following recommendations are made about the reshaping of the human services system:

• Develop a local human services planning framework, linked to a locality based model
• Establish an implementation working group and working groups to implement changes to the human services system
• Implement a community leadership and capacity building strategy
• Develop strategies in priority areas
• Improve the coherence, effectiveness and accessibility of services

The Next Step – The Human Services Delivery Plan

A working group – to be known as the Implementation Working Group (IWG) - will be set up with representatives from government, non-government and Aboriginal organisations.

Their responsibility will be to develop the first Human Services Plan for 2005/06.

This will include agreed community outcomes and a community leadership and capacity building strategy. The Plan will be considered by Government in May 2005.

The Human Services Delivery Plan will build on the Redfern-Waterloo Partnership Project’s past achievements and include strategies for the priority areas of youth; mental health, drug and alcohol and dual diagnosis; Aboriginal people; and families and children, including domestic and family violence.

Time-limited working groups will be set up for each of the priority areas to develop and progress the strategies.

In developing the Plan, the Implementation Working Group will also make recommendations for locality based planning and decision making.

What the Review found

The main finding is that the human services system needs to be reformed and reshaped at the local level to achieve improved outcomes for the community and clients.

Changes must be made to build a more integrated service system and more collaborative approaches to service provision.

Significant improvements are required in relationships.

The most important priority to emerge is the need for a well coordinated human services system response. Other key priorities are the need for more effective services relating to:

• Youth
• Families and children, including domestic and family violence
• Aboriginal people
• Mental health, drug and alcohol and dual diagnosis
• Crime prevention and community safety
• Employment
• Housing support and homelessness
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• People with disabilities
• People who are ageing

The Review found there to be a satisfactory level of service provision in most areas including family and children’s services, disability, ageing, employment support and housing and homelessness support services.

What needs to be improved, however, is the effectiveness of services and their ability to work together in addressing complex social issues and meeting client needs.

The Review identified issues within the system as a whole. These included services found to be:

• Needing better coordination and less fragmentation
• Unable to adequately address complex social needs
• Focussed on outputs not outcomes
• Poorly matching their client’s expressed needs
• Lacking locally based planning, decision making and community engagement
• Needing to build better cultural competence and appropriateness for the diverse cultural communities in the area

It also found that both communities and the human services system across the two suburbs have a lot of strengths, and many people are committed to improving the area’s public image. Community leadership and capacity building strategies are recommended as initiatives to support and develop this community commitment.

Overall, Waterloo is the more disadvantaged of the two areas but the striking feature of Redfern is the co-existence of extremes of advantage and disadvantage. Gentrification of Redfern is well advanced and is increasing in Waterloo.

This is seen by some people as a threat to the social mix of the area and unless well planned, creates the potential for a further worsening between levels of relative advantage and disadvantage across socio-economic groups.

Areas of disadvantage apply to the non-Aboriginal as well as the Aboriginal population.

No Reduction in Funding

There will be no reduction in funding of services in Redfern and Waterloo as a result of the reshaping of the system.

The Review Report said that there are significant resources being invested in the Redfern-Waterloo area. However, it shows that funding is ad-hoc. There is a need for greater accountability and a better focus on outcomes.

Funding models that can assist integrated services will also be implemented across the human services system by NSW Government agencies in 2005/06. These will replace, at least in part, the current program-based funding.

The idea behind this is to give the Redfern community more control over what services and projects are needed in the area.

Copies of the Human Services Review Report Available

Copies of the Review of the Human Services System in Redfern and Waterloo are available from the Redfern-Waterloo Partnership Project on CDROM or in hard copy.

The Report is also available on the RWPP’s website www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au

Questions and Answers

What is the role of the Redfern-Waterloo Partnership Project (RWPP) in the delivery of human services for Redfern and Waterloo?

• The RWPP will work with NSW Government human service agencies to help strengthen existing services
• The RWPP will support the IWG and the priority area working groups in the development of the Human Services Plan.

Will the Human Services delivery plan affect the services currently provided?

The RWPP will work to reshape the provision of human services currently delivered.

In particular:

• Some community delivered services will be strengthened in terms of organisational capacity and/or physical facilities
• Strategies will be adopted to increase the cultural responsiveness of some services to the Redfern-Waterloo population

What is meant by the term ‘integrated service delivery’?

The aim of an integrated service delivery approach is that:

• There is leadership and commitment at all levels to overcome barriers to integration and achieve improved services for clients
• The coordinated network enables clients to access a service at any point and know that they can get access to, and information about, other services in what is described as a ‘seamless’ service approach
• Services are working together as teams and with clients to develop protocols, practices and methods which ensure a consistent approach across services
• Services have a better understanding of and respect for the negotiated roles of other agencies, working together based on their specialist areas
• Services can concentrate their limited resources on their specialist area of service delivery
• Services form a coordinated network, tailored for a local region and capable of addressing the complex needs of its population

Elements of an integrated service delivery system could include:

• Strategies for seeking client and family input into the development of services
• Common referral processes and assessment system which minimises the requirement for multiple assessments
• A coordinated information system
• Coordinated case management approaches for common clients
• Resource sharing which could include models for shared administrative services
• Pooled funding and common reporting, monitoring and evaluation arrangements
• Reorganisation of management structures
• Mechanisms for shared decision making and problem solving
• Joint training and ongoing opportunities for professional development
• Co-location of services using out-servicing models and physical co-location of service delivery

Services, Carmel Tebbutt today announced the Redfern Waterloo Authority, once established, will put in place a comprehensive jobs plan to address the high levels of people in the area not participating in the labour force.

“In Waterloo up to 74 per cent of the general population are unemployed. This is even higher for the Aboriginal community, where 79 per cent are unemployed,” said Mr Sartor.

“Disadvantaged people living in Redfern Waterloo cannot continue to be left behind.

Although employment is the responsibility of the Federal Government, the NSW Government is committing to creating additional jobs in the area”.

“Clearly it is time for Government to address this issue and this will be one of the priorities of the new Redfern Waterloo Authority”.

The Jobs Plan will focus on:

• The creation of additional jobs, and
• Strategies to address labour market barriers faced by local people.

The proposals set out in the Jobs Plan include:

• Increasing employment through targeted development of State owned land
• Encouraging new commercial activity
• Establishment of an Aboriginal Business Hub
• Use of Government Procurement contracts for construction projects to create Aboriginal and local training and employment opportunities
• Strengthen Aboriginal employment partnerships
• Development of a complementary education and training strategy, and
• A focus on increasing participation of young people in transition employment programs

“We need to get people out of the cycle of poverty and one way to do this is help them get a job. The despair experienced as a result of unemployment is one of the major contributors to many of the social problems in communities like Redfern Waterloo.

“Poverty is a significant factor in drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, stress and social isolation – all of which impact on families and children,” Ms Tebbutt said.

“We know the most effective way to combat poverty is through a job – this initiative, underpinned by the new Human Services plan for the area, will address this important issue.

"Implementing the recommendations of the Human Services Review will address some of the major challenges for the Redfern Waterloo area.

"The review found a total of 102 organisations providing 192 services in the Redfern Waterloo area, with an estimated $35 to $40 million allocated to these services. Thirty of these services are focused solely on the Redfern Waterloo area with funding amounting to between $8 and $10 million.

"The review makes it clear there are adequate resources in the area, however it shows that funding is ad-hoc, some services do not work together, and there is a need for greater accountability and a better focus on outcomes.”

The Human Services Review was conducted over six months from January to August 2004 in response to widespread concerns about the adequacy of services available to the community.

The recommendations from the review will now be used to help design a plan to ensure the right services are delivered to the right people - and that services work together to meet the needs of the community.

The review calls for a plan to be developed to improve integration across both government and non-government services. This plan will be presented to Cabinet by May 2005.

The plan will have agreed community outcomes and will address:

• Ways of working with the Aboriginal community
• Capacity building for government and non-government organisations; and
• Community leadership development

"The delivery of targeted and effective human services in the Redfern Waterloo area is imperative in making sure the needs of residents are met, and that problems in the area can be combated, Mr Sartor said.

"This will include making some choices about the way resources are invested in the area to ensure services are reaching the people that need them.

"Delivery of appropriate and targeted services to the people that need them is not negotiable. Current services have nothing to worry about if they are achieving this", Mr Sartor said.

'This plan will build on what the government has done to date - it is about working in partnership with the community and. importantly, making sure both government and non-government agencies are working together towards common outcomes," Ms Tebbutt said.

"This plan will contain specific strategies in key areas such as mental health, drug and alcohol and dual diagnosis, employment, Aboriginal health, young people, domestic violence and family support.

“Community and government service providers will work together in a joint planning process, with the involvement of representatives from federal and local government.

The plan will be developed by an Implementation Working Group comprised of government and non-government representatives, including representation by Aboriginal organisations.

"The Government will also make sure the community and all government and non-government organisations understand the report and its recommendations by facilitating workshops," Ms Tebbutt said.

Background Note - The Redfern/Waterloo Human Services Review

Redfern and Waterloo have been recognised as areas where many residents are experiencing disadvantage. Particular areas highlighted by the review include high levels of :

-           people living in public housing
-           unemployed and long term unemployment
-           people on disability and sickness benefits
-           psychiatric hospital admissions
-           children and young people who are leaving school early or not attending regularly
-           people with complex needs

There are significant resources being invested in the Redfern Waterloo Area. It is estimated to be $8-10 million specifically targeted to the residents of Redfern and Waterloo.

When taking into account services provided across Redfern and Waterloo through locally based and out of area the review estimates that there is $35-40 million invested in Human Services.

This funding represents support for 102 organisations providing 192 services to the residents of Redfern Waterloo. 65% of these are non government organisations.

What does the review say about the services?

Service delivery 1s based on stand alone services and had been based on historical decisions that do not reflect the current needs, Relationships between many services were found to be poor. Service negatives were found to be:

- uncoordinated and fragmented
- not addressing complex social needs
- focussed on outputs not outcomes
- poorly matching their clients expressed needs
- lacking locally based planning, decision making and community engagement
- lacking cultural sensitivity

Positive aspects of the services were:

- there is a broad range of Services easily accessible with same choice
- many staff are valued and are seen as approachable, supportive, committees and very skilled in some services
- there is considerable local knowledge
- there is a shared concern across all services of the issues facing the Redfern and Waterloo community

The Review puts forward three options:

Option 1  To consider a competitive funding regime for all services

Option 2 - To consider a selective tendering process for some specific services which might establish a different range of services, attract a different range of providers and might reduce the number of providers receiving NSW Government funding.

Option 3 - To embark on a developmental strategy which builds on the existing strengths; encourages more integrated service models and approaches, voluntary mergers, amalgamations and collocations; and includes the community in finding solutions.

Option 3 was the preferred option put forward by the consultants.

Government response to recommendations:

The Government has supported the consultant's recommendation of Option 3.

Option 3 commits the Government to work with the local community including residents, government and non government service providers as well as local and Commonwealth government to reshape and develop a Human Services Plan for Redfern and Waterloo.

The Plan:

The Human Services Plan will be developed over the next six months with Premiers as the lead agency and includes the establishment of an Implementation Working Group (IWG) involving government and non government agencies appointed by the Premiers department.

The IWG will:

-           develop a Human Services Plan for implementation in 2005 - 2006 which includes agreed community outcomes.
-           implement a community leadership and community capacity building strategy

The first priority is the development to put in place an action plan for families, children, young people, Aboriginal people, victims of domestic and family violence and those people with drug & alcohol and mental health issues.

In the next 12 months is plans will be developed in the areas of:

- access for people from CALD backgrounds
- future planning of services for people with disabilities
- future planning of services for people who are ageing.

2. The Plans will be developed by working parties. The working parties will:

- identify options for integrated service provision within their service cluster
- recommend action to achieve it
- develop an action plan for their service cluster, and
- provide advice to funding bodies on ways of strengthening service delivery in their area.

The working parties will include representatives from government, non-government and residents and will be supported by the RWPP Team.

"There is no magic solution for the entrenched problems in Redfern-Waterloo," Mr Sartor said.

"Redfern-Waterloo is a work in progress and we cannot expect these problems will be solved overnight.

"These are complex issues and that is why the government is taking a co-ordinated approach to find new ways to solve them.

"Essential infrastructure is in need of upgrading and complex social problems are in need of real solutions.

'We are going to achieve this is by taking the community with us,"

Mr Sartor said no decision has been made regarding the future of the site known as the Block,

"The State Government is currently working closely with the local community and the Aboriginal Housing Company on opportunities for the Block," Mr Sartor said.

The new Redfern-Waterloo Authority - modelled on the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority- would administer a Redfern-Waterloo Fund and manage public infrastructure, land and properties in the area,

"Our 10-year plan is not however, simply an infrastructure package".

"Earlier this month, the Minister for Community Services, Carmel Tebbutt and I released the Redfern-Waterloo Human Services Review.

"With a myriad of Government services in the area we wanted to ensure the right services are delivered to the right people - and that services work together to meet the needs of the community.

"We are now working with the community on a plan to implement the review recommendations."

Mr Sartor said the State Government had also put in place a Jobs Plan to address the high number of people in the area not participating in the labour force,

Waterloo is rated as the fifth poorest suburb out of 526 Sydney suburbs and Redfern is ranked in the bottom third. Nearly 60 per cent of Waterloo's residents are not in the labour force and are benefit dependent, while around 12 per cent of Redfern households in 2001 lived on an income less than $200 a week.

"We know the most effective way to combat poverty is through a job. This initiative underpinned by the new Human Services plan for the area, will address this important issue.

As the Premier announced on October 26, 2004 the Redfern-Waterloo Plan will see:

• • The major redevelopment of the Redfern Railway Station, including the development of a significant town centre, with commercial and retail activity within a railway concourse;
• A new pedestrian bridge across the southern arterial roads of Gibbons and Regent Streets at Redfern;
• A new bridge to link the Australian Technology Park with North Eveleigh;
• Extending the entry requirements for the Australian Technology Park to encourage further commercial activity;
• Optimising use of Government land;
• Increasing rental or home ownership housing opportunities;
• Investigating the renewal of public housing estates;
• Developing a cultural strategy to support economic and urban regeneration; and
• Working with the City of Sydney Council and the Commonwealth Government on community renewal.

Legislation establishing the new Redfern-Waterloo Authority has been introduced into NSW Parliament.

Thank you to everyone who attended last Saturday's meeting about North Eveleigh.  Over 200 people attended to express concerns about the Redfern-Waterloo Authority's (RWA) concept plans and learn about alternative options for the future use of the site.

The RWA proposals for North Eveleigh will overdevelop the site, increase traffic impacts, create significant permanent impacts on key heritage items, and fail to meet sustainability requirements. North Eveleigh needs a lower-impact development, with greater integration into the surrounding neighbourhood, genuine open space and easier access.

Sydney University has expressed interest in North Eveleigh as a possible site for its future expansion. Acknowledging a legacy of community mistrust from its developments in Darlington 20 years ago, Pro Vice Chancellor Richmond Jeremy pledged a sustainable, open and accessible campus.  Resident's welcomed the University's commitment to consultation, and I expect the University to work with both the community and the City on its plans.

At the Community Information Session I undertook to ask the Premier to meet with me and the University of Sydney to discuss alternative plans for North Eveleigh.  I have made the request and am waiting for a response.

A number people who couldn't attend the meeting have contacted me to ask what they can do about the Redfern-Waterloo proposal.

While the public exhibition for the plans has closed, you can still view them on the Department of Planning's website or by contacting the Department's planner who is managing the assessment, Sumathi Navaratnam, on telephone 9228 6361.

I urge you review the plans and let both State and Federal Governments know that the current proposal is unacceptable.  Contact the Premier Morris Iemma, Federal Member Tanya Plibersek, State Member Carmel Tebbutt, and the Minister for Planning Frank Sartor.

Information

• North Eveleigh concept plans www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/register2006.asp#gma
• University of Sydney Campus 2020, Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Richmond Jeremy 9351 3245 or r.jeremy@usyd.edu.au
• The Premier Mr Morris Iemma, 9228 5339 or thepremier@www.nsw.gov.au
• The Hon Carmel Tebbutt MP, 9558 9000 or marrickville@parliament.nsw.gov.au
• The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, 9357 6366 or tanya@tanyaplibersek.com
• Mr Frank Sartor, Minister for Planning and Minister for Redfern-Waterloo Authority, 9228 4700 or office@sartor.minister.nsw.gov.au

As a result of the ADT proceedings, TNSW was required to undertake further searches, provide evidence that withheld documents were Cabinet documents and partially release two documents. An October 2010 study found construction was possible without affecting Leamington Avenue and concluded: “Properties in Leamington Ave could therefore be removed from the potential project land take requirements.”

Source: South Sydney Herald July 2012 - www.southsydneyherald.com.au

“This work was accelerated to help ease the concerns of local residents.

“The project engineers can now take the time needed to continue their work in preparation for construction of the City Relief Line as part of the Western Express project.

“The Western Express is a critical infrastructure project that will improve public transport for hundreds of thousands of commuters every day.

“It will significantly speed up journey times for passengers travelling to and from Western Sydney, increase capacity for passengers on the Western Line by 5,000 seats an hour and ease congestion for services right across the CityRail network as they enter and leave the Sydney CBD.”

Member for Marrickville Carmel Tebbutt welcomed the decision.

"I know that this has been a concerning time for many residents and I am pleased that the Government has moved swiftly to provide certainty for local residents," said Ms Tebbutt.

Transport NSW will now carry out further alignment investigations for the new underground City Relief Line. This will include design, engineering, survey and geotechnical drilling work in the Eveleigh area.

“I’ve asked Transport NSW to come up with an option that focuses on using publicly owned land at Eveleigh for the dive tunnels as part of the relief line,” Mr Robertson said.

“This detailed design work is likely to take some months.

“Once a preferred alignment has been identified it will be incorporated into a project application and Environmental Assessment for the Western Express Project.”

A Preliminary Environmental Assessment into the project would be placed on public exhibition in mid 2011, with the full Environmental Assessment displayed in mid 2012 - in line with the project timetable outlined in the Government’s Metropolitan Transport Plan.

[REDWatch Note - On 31 August 2010 it was confirmed that "Transport NSW has no intention to use either Leamington Lane or Iverys Lane for the Western Express."]