Touted as an exercise in participatory democracy when it was launched in October, the scheme has not been without its critics. The Settlement Community Centre in Redfern, which has recently been included in Ms Tebbutt's seat, wrote to its members last week criticising the process and asking for their support. The centre's secretary Lyn Turnbull and Ray Jackson from the Indigenous Social
Justice Association, wrote that the vot-ing process was unfair to The Settlement because it was on the fringes of the elec-torate and serviced marginalised clients who did not have computers.
"Many of those who use and are in-volved with The Settlement are not in the Marrickville electorate and hence will be ineligible to vote," the letter stated. There were 14 eligible applications for funds in Clover Moore's seat of Sydney including redevelopment of St Barnabas Church, amphitheatre at St Philips Church, refur-bishment of the activities room in Red Cross House, an exercise terrace for the Chinese Youth League, Dragon Boat dis-ability access, purchase of East Sydney Neighbourhood Association meeting room on Burton St, play area for Padding-ton Children's Centre and equipment for Sydney Police & Community Youth Club. The votes are being collated.
]]>A few months ago we reported on developments at Redfern RSL. The building had been sold to a developer to build 18 storeys and then the plan was for the RSL to buy a floor which it will fit out to become its new home. That all sounds good but the plan seemed to depend on a merger with a nearby club. However, the membership at a meeting rejected that proposal. As we go to press the Board hasn’t decided on where to go from here. We will have a full report next month.
I’ve never understood the idea of rave parties. They seem to happen in old disused factories, probably fire traps. The organisers don’t have Council approval and usually upset residents nearby. On Saturday October 17, police from Redfern Local Area Command were alerted to a large crowd congregating outside a disused building in Bourke Road, Alexandria. They attended the location and found around 500 people dancing throughout the building.
The police media reports did say that the mood was positive, with no incidents of anti-social or criminal behavior observed by officers. However, at about 1am police returned to the scene, after receiving reports that a number of people had been assaulted inside the venue. They decided to shut down the event and move on the large crowd, which had grown to approximately 800. Additional police resources were brought in, including the Public Order and Riot Squad and Rescue Squad, and a number of dance floors were progressively shut down and partygoers asked to leave.
The crowd had dispersed by 5am with officers making one arrest for assaulting police and resisting arrest and issuing infringements to two other revellers for disobeying directions. If you were there I’d be interested to know why you like rave parties.
Have you ever had a rave party happen in your street? Did you think it was okay?
Email your comments to trevrssh@bigpond.net.au .
As Fast News reported last month, that supermarket finally received approval, with the support of Clover’s team, but the campaign goes on. The website has a big black headline proclaiming ‘Clover Kills City of Villages’. Every house in Erskineville was letterboxed with a pamphlet saying the same thing. They are angry. Rob Morrison has been talking to Erko people – read his report in this issue of the SSH. This issue will still be around at the next Council election!
I always find Australia Day difficult. The seemingly thousands of people wrapping themselves in the Australian flag, and even flying Aussie flags from their balconies. If you want to escape that sort of stuff, come and join us on Tribal Warrior’s boat out on the Harbour, and help raise money for your favourite community newspaper! It should be a great evening. Come and meet the South Sydney Herald team!
You may have seen the recent episode of The Secret Millionaire that featured The Settlement as well as other local NGOs. The Settlement was fortunate to receive $100,000 from Peter Bond, the “secret millionaire”. This will help to take pressure off some of The Settlement’s program needs, but it still has to raise money for the much needed building upgrade which will require greater funding.
The Settlement has applied for funding to complete part of the upgrade from the Federal Government’s Community Building Partnership Project. The program provides a total of $300,000 in grants to each state electorate to build local community projects. The Settlement is in the Marrickville electorate.
Carmel Tebbutt, the State MP, has launched a website where those in the Marrickville electorate can vote for the project they would prefer to receive funding. You can see it at http://cbp.carmeltebbutt.com.au/Project/Details/the-sydney-university-settlement. [REDWatch Note at the time of posting this had been removed from Carmel Tebbutt’s website]
Source: www.southsydneyherald.com.au
]]>Lisa Burns from Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, which has lobbied for lift access since 2006, called it a great community victory. “It is a win for the whole of Newtown, which really is a hub for so many areas - the hospital and education facilities,’’ she said.
The station is used by 4550 people on average every weekday.
“We made a commitment to upgrade Newtown station and I’m pleased we are moving forward and delivering on it,” Marrickville Labor MP Carmel Tebbutt said.
Source: http://sydney-central.whereilive.com.au/news/story/newtown-station-upgrade-overdue/
]]>Four years ago, Mr Sartor indicated would prefer not to have any more Aboriginal housing at the site that was the birthplace of Australia's black rights movement.
Mr Turnbull said the former Labor minister's tough talk effectively achieved the impossible: uniting diverse indigenous groups behind the Aboriginal Housing Corporation, which owns the 1000 square metre block.
Years of political wrangling were momentarily forgotten on Thursday as the State Government announced it had approved a concept plan for the $60 million Pemulwuy project under the Part 3A "major projects" process. Development applications will follow.
The Aboriginal Housing Corporation's chief executive officer, Mick Mundine, described the Planning Minister Kristina Keneally as "like the rose that's been picked from the garden" for giving the project the green light.
Under the plan, the remaining ramshackle terrace houses at The Block will be razed to make way for a mixed-use development featuring 62 one- to four-bedroom apartments and more than 9000 square metres - or 60 per cent - commercial space, including shops and cultural areas.
Mr Mundine, who refused to hand over control of the area to the Redfern-Waterloo Authority under Mr Sartor's watch, said it was a brand new day for the community.
On questions of timing and funding, however, he was less certain.
"People are saying to me, `Where will the money come from?' I don't know. You've got to have a little faith and the money will flow in," he said.
Ms Keneally was joined at The Block today by City of Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, the federal Labor Member for Sydney, Tanya Plibersek and the NSW Member for Marrickville, Carmel Tebbutt.
The Opposition and the Greens welcomed the announcement, but Opposition spokesman for Redfern-Waterloo, Brad Hazzard, said it had been "a long time coming because of State Labor's incompetence and obstructiveness".
A resident, Charles Marr, watched as a media pack followed the politicians on a tour of the area. He said he had not been told about the plan.
"I don't know exactly what they're doing. It would be good if they put out pamphlets and let people know."
Photo: Jacky Ghossein: Kristina Keneally, Carmel Tebbutt, Tanya Pilbersek and Clover Moore with Mick Mundine in Redfern.
Source: www.smh.com.au/national/green-light-for-the-block-development-20090702-d6fz.html
]]>There has been lots of concern about the state of the playground at Darlington Public School. One of the play areas was even closed off because it was seen as unsafe. Now here is the good news (not often Fast News gives good State Government news!). The Minister for Education, Verity Firth, announced that Darlington Public School has received $2 million under the Primary Schools for the 21st Century project and $125,000 under the National School Pride Program. That is a huge amount of money! Let’s hope the playground is fixed soon.
Roy Wakelin-King is the new CEO of the Redfern Waterloo Authority and seems to have already made quite an impression. The Redfern-Waterloo Updates e-newsletter runs a bit of a bio on Roy. “Roy has worked in a range of different agencies, including the Office of Public Works & Services, World Youth Day Co-ordination Authority, Transport Operations Division of NSW Ministry of Transport, State Rail Authority, Olympic Roads and Transport Authority, and the Army Movements and Transport Agency. From July to December 1993 Roy was part of a small Australian Army contingent in Somalia that was part of the United Nations multi-national force called UNOSOM II. His contingent was responsible for transport coordination of military and humanitarian people and goods in, around and out of Somalia. Roy wore his UN Service ribbons to the Coloured Diggers March in Redfern on ANZAC Day.”
In the Sydney Morning Herald last month Kirsty Needham reported that Glebe Point Road had become littered with empty shop fronts. Since the global financial crisis hit, George Linardos from a deli on Glebe Point Road which is closing down, told the SMH that his customers have been holding back on luxuries. He said people would have more courage to buy $34 hampers of Swiss chocolates if they had more faith in the future. Then the article went on to say that a hardware store owner, Ben Nurse, whose store closed down in March, is blaming the upgrade.
An upgrade will always cause some disruption. It happened in Redfern Street, Oxford Street and Darlinghurst Street. The trouble is that short-term pain for long-term gain during a global economic crisis can be a disaster. The business community on Abercrombie Street is calling for an upgrade. Perhaps it should be careful?
June 20 will mark two years since the Howard Government announced its Intervention into Northern Territory Indigenous communities. The Stop the Intervention Collective reports that the intervention promised health, housing and education – but it has delivered only racism, the destruction of Aboriginal control and worsening social problems. It claims that, after the allocation of more than $1 billion, the only houses that have been built with intervention funds have been for government managers imposed on communities. The compulsory quarantine of welfare payments is causing greater poverty,
real hunger and segregation in Centrelink and in shops. June 20 will be a national day of action, including a march in Darwin led by Aboriginal people living under Intervention policies.
Join in the rally, march and concert in Sydney. Saturday June 20: Rally, march and concert, 10.30am Belmore Park, Eddy Avenue, Haymarket (opposite Central Station). Then march to the Block in Redfern for a family and culture day concert.
Reem Al-Gharabally elsewhere in this issue discusses the possibility of staffing cuts at Erko and Redfern stations. It’s still not clear, according to Reem. She quotes the Member for Marrickville, Carmel Tebbutt. Fast News has a response from the Member for Heffron. Kristina Keneally told the SSH: “Rail Corp is continuing its review of station staffing levels. This review is being conducted with the unions and station staff in line with the current enterprise bargaining agreement. I understand no jobs will be lost as part of the review and no arrangements or decisions about individual stations has yet been made.”
Fast News urges caution. It may just be a review as Rail Corp says. If it is short of money, and times are tough, staffing cuts may be an easy way out.
Source: South Sydney Herald June 2009 www.southsydneyherald.com.au
]]>“We know that 88 per cent of our customers travel during weekdays and the majority of these in the morning and afternoon peaks. This means that we need to roster our staff to best meet the needs of our customers,” a CityRail spokesperson said.
Although decisions relating to Erskineville Station have not been made, residents have expressed concern. “State rail is becoming increasingly difficult to use out of working hours but Erskineville is a very user friendly station because of the friendly staff. State rail is becoming increasingly insensitive to customer needs. If they keep eroding the human element it will make matters worse,” says Martin Fisher, an Erskineville resident and regular City Rail passenger.
“Erskineville railway staff have an exceptional rapport with the travelling public. They are very kind and generous with giving information which is very helpful when trains are running late,” says Father Claude Mostowik, Director of the Peace and Justice Centre and long-term Erskineville local.
As with Redfern Station, Erskineville residents also mentioned the steep stairs and lack of lift, making it difficult for the elderly and disabled to reach street level without staff assistance, and security issues.
Details of the review underway were not disclosed by Rail Corp but a spokesperson confirmed there would be no loss of employment. “Only when the consultation is completed will a decision be made on staffing levels at each station. Opportunities will be provided where required to retrain and transition affected staff to other roles,” a Rail Corp spokesperson said.
“Redfern Station will continue to be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No currently staffed station will be left without staff in the CBD and inner city area as a result of this review,” she added.
Rail Corp says it has been in consultation with station staff and unions but the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) maintain that its recommendations relating to the South Coast Stations have been ignored, leaving 18 stations with reduced hours and five stations closed completely.
“The reviews for Redfern and Erskineville have not yet gone ahead but we have just received reports on the reviews for the South Coast lines. Rail Corp has not listened to commuters and ignored us and is going to push ahead with station closures and reduced services,” RTBU spokesperson Phillip Kessey said.
“The review, which is not yet finalised, aims to create better station staffing arrangements to match passenger movements,” a spokesperson for local MP Carmel Tebbut said. “Ms Tebbutt, as the Member for Marrickville, will continue to represent any concerns constituents may have on the issue to the Minister for Transport.”
Photo: Ali Blogg- Caption: Redfern - a busy railway station
Source: South Sydney Herald June 2009 www.southsydneyherald.com.au
]]>Decades of crime, a thriving drug trade and a riot after the 2004 death of teenager Thomas "TJ" Hickey, who became impaled on a fence while being followed by police, contributed to the neighbourhood's troubled reputation.
Known as the Pemulwuy Project, the development will see the construction of 62 family apartments and more than 9000 square metres of commercial, community and cultural space.
The project is named in honour of Aboriginal warrior Pemulwuy who led resistance against European settlers from 1792 until he was shot dead in 1802. His name is derived from the Darug word pemul, meaning Earth.
The land is owned by the Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC) headed by Aboriginal leader Mick Mundine.
"People say to me: 'Where (will) the money come from?' - I don't know yet," Mr Mundine said.
But he's adamant the project will be built within five years.
"The dream will come true - we will get the money," he said.
NSW Planning Minister Kristina Kenneally, Deputy Premier and local MP Carmel Tebbutt, federal member for Sydney Tanya Plibersek and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore all attended the planning approval announcement at The Block today.
However, neither the state nor federal governments have flagged any funds for the development.
"We'll certainly defer to the Aboriginal Housing Company because it's their land, it's their project and we want to see where they want to take it next," Ms Tebbutt said.
NSW Opposition planning spokesman Brad Hazzard backed the planning approval but warned residents of The Block not to expect much else.
"If it's taken 10 years for state Labor to give an approval for a development application on The Block, is it going to take another 10 years to get any sense out of this government in terms of assisting with finance?"
Resident Charles Marr said local Aboriginal youths should get first crack at construction jobs created by the project.
"If they haven't got the qualifications or the certificates, we'll put them in a course to do it and then chuck them on it," Mr Marr said.
Jack Dunn, who has lived in The Block for four years, welcomed the project but warned it is just a start not a silver bullet.
"It's a step forward but there's a long way to go," he said.
"You've got to deal with education, health, employment - the issues we've got to look at too besides housing."
Mr Mundine says he hopes the completed project will improve residents' lives and inspire other Aboriginal communities.
"The Block was such a hotspot in the past," he said.
"It was degraded, it was down the gutter."
He said success for the project would provide a good role model for black organisations and Aboriginal people everywhere.
Source: www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25724957-12377,00.html
]]>In the past, The Block has been known for high levels of crime, a thriving drug trade and the riot that followed the 2004 death of teenager Thomas "TJ" Hickey, who became impaled on a fence while being followed by police.
Known as the Pemulwuy Project, the redevelopment will result in the construction of 62 family apartments and over 9,000 square metres of commercial retail community and cultural space.
NSW Planning Minister Kristina Kenneally, Deputy Premier and local MP Carmel Tebbutt, federal Member for Sydney Tanya Plibersek and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore attended the announcement at The Block on Thursday.
The land to be redeveloped is owned by the Aboriginal Housing Company, headed up by Aboriginal leader Mick Mundine, who was also at the announcement.
"People say to me `where (will) the money come from' - I don't know yet," Mr Mundine told reporters.
But he estimated the completion of the project was probably five years away and said the money would somehow materialise in time for construction.
"The dream will come true - we will get the money," he said.
Mr Mundine hopes the completion of the project will improve the area and the lives of the residents and possibly inspire other such communities to do the same.
"The Block was such a hot spot in the past," he said.
"It was degraded, it was down the gutter.
"I think if we can do what we can do here we'd be a good role model for a lot of black organisations out there and a lot of our people."
Source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/833007/no-funds-for-redferns-the-block-yet
The NSW Government has approved the Pemulwuy Project Concept Plan for The Block – a project that can deliver 300 jobs, 62 homes and over 9,000 square metres of commercial uses, shops and community and cultural space.
NSW Planning Minister Kristina Keneally today announced approval of the $60 million concept plan to create new residential, commercial and cultural facilities for the local Redfern community.
Joined by State local member for Marrickville, Carmel Tebbutt, Federal local member for Sydney, Tanya Plibersek and City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Ms Keneally said the concept plan approval provided the guidelines to rejuvenate the area.
"Today’s announcement is the first step in creating a modern, sustainable and accessible community," Ms Keneally said.
Ms Keneally said."This $60 million project will deliver a boost to employment in the Redfern area through the creation of around 200 construction jobs and 100 ongoing positions once complete."
"The State Government and the Department of Planning have worked closely with the Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC), throughout the assessment process.
"I congratulate everyone involved on the hard work that has delivered a plan to create a vibrant, safe and sustainable community."
Ms Keneally said the redevelopment would include:
• More than 15,000 square metres of floor area for a range of commercial, retail, cultural and community uses, including up to 62 residential apartments;
• Basement and ground floor car parking for around 71 vehicles;
• At least 500 square metres of open space, opening up the site to the surrounding area and connecting to the existing public open space on the adjacent Redfern Community Centre site;
• Incorporating into the development several lanes in the area, including Eveleigh Lane;
• Conceptual landscape design; and
• Staggering the development in 3 stages.
Local member for Marrickville, Carmel Tebbutt, said she welcomed the approval and was excited by the redevelopment and rejuvenation of an important part of the Redfern and Darlington community.
"The Block for many years has played an important role in the local community and this redevelopment will complement and support its long and vibrant history," Ms Tebbutt said.
"Renewing this culturally significant site, with a range of housing, improved community cultural and education facilities and greater sustainability measures are fantastic news.
"Renewing this culturally significant site, with a range of housing, improved community cultural and education facilities and greater sustainability measures are fantastic news."I am pleased the AHC has incorporated Ecologically Sustainable Development principles such as, implementing water reuse and recycling initiatives.
"After many years of community debate, this approval represents a positive step towards seeing aspirations for The Block realised."
Federal member for Sydney, Tanya Plibersek said the approved concept plan will deliver 62 new units providing a range of different housing options.
"This range of housing combined with new retail and commercial developments will foster a vibrant new area not only for Indigenous Australians but for the whole community," Ms Plibersek said.
"While this is just the first step for The Block, it is an exciting step to know the historic site will become a sustainable, safe and accessible residential and commercial precinct for the local community."
Ms Plibersek said."While this is just the first step for The Block, it is an exciting step to know the historic site will become a sustainable, safe and accessible residential and commercial precinct for the local community."
Ms Keneally said the concept plan promotes a secure and aesthetically pleasing site by incorporating the principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design.
"The plan will see buildings designed to address open spaces to promote a neighbourhood watch type of feeling," Ms Keneally said.
"Measures include lighting and physical barriers like landscaping and security fencing to identify between private and public areas.
"There will also be public open space accessible to both residents and site workers, as well as the general public, creating a vibrant community atmosphere."
Ms Keneally said following the public exhibition, a number of amendments were made to the proposal to address public and agency feedback, including the requirements on the AHC to:
• Comply with Railcorp’s requirements with regard to protecting the rail corridor, stormwater drainage, noise and fencing/landscaping;
• Demonstrate sustainable design, including meeting a minimum 4.5 star Australian Building Greenhouse Rating or equivalent in all new retail and commercial buildings;
• Demonstrate design excellence in accordance with the Major Projects state environmental planning policy covering the Redfern Waterloo Authority sites; and
• Prepare landscape plans for any new public domain areas.
"The AHC has also committed to consulting with the local community and stakeholders throughout the rejuvenation of the precinct and will ensure all future applications are consistent with the concept plan.
"They will also deliver part of the commercial and retail components in the first of the three stages of development, generating economic activity.
"This will initiate the renewal of the site and encourage participation of the wider community at the outset of the redevelopment."
]]>On the other hand, there are other maintenance matters which, hopefully, will not take that long for that intervention to be accomplished. The hope springs from the stimulus funding now being made available for government properties and the established need. Against this we might have bureaucratic inertia (or worse) to overcome.
There is an obvious drainage problem at the Darlington complex. A badly-graded path brings storm water to the door of a ground floor unit. The problem is aggravated by additional run-off from an adjacent lawn.
The landlord has “fixed” the problem with a low diverting wall (trip hazard) from the lawn. This does nothing to take away the run-off down the path, and ignores the blocked drain, which no longer carries the storm water (from many sources). Instead, the water finds its own way to Blackwattle Bay, undermining, and breaking up the path, whose continuing grading is still the problem.
This is not, of course, the only maintenance problem for the Housing Department in South Sydney (nor indeed for the particular complex). We mention it as a case study which might allow us to see how well such problems are handled between residents and landlord – without political (or even media) intervention.
Photo: Ali Blogg - Residents Alan, Straun and Henry at the secure front door Source: South Sydney Herald April 2009 www.southsydneyherald.com.au
]]>“The ambulance can’t get in, police can’t get in, security can’t get in,” he said. “There’s no intercom at all and it’s an inconvenience for all people. We have to go all the way downstairs to let people in.”
Mr Chapman said that phone calls are now being made to residents to ensure their safety and wellbeing since a resident’s death had been unknown for six weeks.
Diana Lambert, who is also a resident of the public housing estate, said that the need for an improved setup for emergency access is very important. “Amputees, stroke victims and the elderly are all being put here. It’s the wrong place for them because they don’t get the care they need,” she said. Residents must come downstairs themselves and physically open the door in order to allow visitors entry.
Mrs Lambert also said that the grounds are in a poor state and that something needs to be done immediately. “The grounds are so neglected and the lawn is just dust now,” she said. “Ninety per cent of people here are elderly, who are on high dosage medication and can’t hear emergency staff from the road.”
Mrs Lambert said that she will continue to petition local authorities in order to improve the current situation.
Both Mr Chapman and Mrs Lambert said that they are in communication with NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt about the improvements needed at the public housing estate which, for so long, has been ignored.
Photo: Ali Blogg - Alan Chapman at the entry to the estate
Source: South Sydney Herald November 2008 www.southsydneyherald.com.au
]]>Redfern is a major transport hub connecting thousands of people a day, yet it remains without a disabled lift or ramp on any of its platforms.
Many nearby stations across the city already have disabled access, said People With Disability CEO Michael Bleasdale, meaning there was no excuse for a station the size of Redfern to remain without.
“It’s really important that Redfern becomes accessible to disabled people, not just to workers and residents but also people who use the hub for changing lines,” he said.
The State Government is delaying any access improvements until the station redevelopment.
“I really think it needs to be fast-tracked. I’m nots sure why it’s dependent on the masterplan for Waterloo and Redfern’s redevelopment.”
The State Government was criticised last week for its track record on station upgrade promises.
Quizzed before a parliamentary budget estimates committee, Transport Minister David Campbell could not give a start date on much-needed access works at Newtown.
Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon, a member of the transport budget estimates committee, asked Mr Campbell why nothing had started when Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt, Member for Marrickville, promised during the 2007 election campaign that Newtown would be the first station to get disability access.
“Sydenham station is not due to have its access upgraded until 2012 and it has already moved to a finalising option,’’ Ms Rhiannon said.
Mel Harrison, who is confined to a wheelchair, travels to Redfern from Bass Hill for work several times a week and says the station desperately needs disabled access.
At the moment, she says, the lack of access is adding to her woes.
“It’s quite an expense, driving, but I don’t have much option when there’s no access.” she told Central.
“It’s a reality of people with a mobility impairment – you have to take transport that’s more expensive.”
Photo: Phil Rogers
Source: http://sydney-central.whereilive.com.au/news/story/public-transport-excludes-disabled/
]]>“To be shared with other community support agencies, the DVD aims to enhance confidence in the legal process and reduce potential stress and anxiety for women dealing with domestic violence and the police and court process, as well as support mechanisms and services available for victims,” Ms Tebbutt said.
Jane, not her real name for legal reasons, has suffered from the effects of domestic violence for the past 25 years. “This could seem like good news but it’s nowhere near enough when it comes to helping victims of domestic violence,” she said.
Jane said the current system for victims was inherently flawed because it was vulnerable to bully perpetrators of violence. From her experience, she suggested police should carry DV referrals which they can supply to victims.
“I didn’t know there were places I could go, like refuges. The very first time I saw someone, she said I didn’t have to be putting up with the abuse I was getting at home, but I didn’t know this. The police didn’t even tell me I could renew my violence order on my husband.”
“Let’s not accept that there’ll be a future of individuals terrified of facing the very system that is supposed to protect them, when they have already been terrified at the hands of someone else more powerful than them in their own homes,” Jane said.
Source: South Sydney Herald October 2008 www.southsydneyherald.com.au
]]>Keneally now inherits the PR-challenged Planning and Redfern-Waterloo
ministries from fallen cement czar, Frank Sartor.
She described her new
role as “one where you need to evaluate a variety of views and
certainly it's one that requires both integrity and honesty”.
“It's something that the previous minister Frank Sartor had and I hope that the community sees that in me as well,” she said.
Under Sartor, section 3A of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act became a source of near absolute power. Lord Mayor Clover Moore looks forward to working on her 2030 Vision for Sydney with Keneally, but wants corrective action taken in state parliament.
“The controversial legislative changes introduced by her predecessor need to be repealed so that multi-million dollar developments can't be approved behind closed doors without public accountability or contestability,” said Moore.
She maintains the panel of public review appointed hastily by Sartor fails, by its very nature, to restore public faith in sensitive planning decisions – especially now that “appeal rights have been virtually abolished”.
When claims of corruption first surfaced in the media earlier this year, discussion turned to technical and legal definitions before ex-Premier Morris Iemma chilled journalists with the spectre of legal action.
Moore maintains questions remain that Planning Minister Keneally needs to address as a matter of priority.
“This is a sensitive role in a high risk area of government, and in addition to disclosing donations, the government needs to reverse the disturbing and unnecessary concentration of planning power vested in the Minister with inadequate transparency.”
Barely a week into her role, Keneally did announce new disclosure laws.
Due to come into effect from October 1, they require anyone lodging or commenting on a D.A. to declare any political donations or gifts made in the previous two years.
Keneally promoted these as part of a post-Iemma culture shift, saying “they form just one part of the Rees Government's reform on political donations and it's all about bringing the process of donations in planning out into the open”.
But the initiative is not Keneally’s under Rees but Sartor’s under Iemma, prepared before his ejection from the ministry in early September.
And three days after Kenneally’s announcement, the NSW Greens have stolen her thunder, referring six development approvals made by her predecessor to ICAC. Three of these, claim the Greens, were granted contrary to departmental recommendations.
Rosecorp and Stockland are two of the parties named by Greens MP Sylvia Hale, with donations of $143,500 and $137,500 respectively made to NSW Labor while planning decisions were allegedly pending.
Hale is critical of the choice of Ms Keneally for Planning Minister.
“With Mr Sartor removed from the Ministry there was an opportunity for Labor to appoint a new Minister with no connections to developers and their donations,” said Hale. “Ms Kenneally is the wrong choice for this portfolio. Her appointment suggests that while the faces may have changed, the system hasn’t. Political donations will continue to corrupt the state’s planning system.”
Research by Norman Thompson, director of the Greens Democracy4Sale research project, identified Ms Keneally as receiving donations from Frank Sartor’s campaign as well as developers and hoteliers during the lead up to the March 2007 elections. At the same time, her campaign was making donations to candidates of the ALP left faction – Carmel Tebbutt, Verity Firth, but most notably over $21,000 to Sydney ALP candidate Linda Scott, whose platform proclaimed non-contamination by donations from developers and hoteliers.
“One thing to be aware of is that many candidates raise money through the parties’ head offices,” said Thompson.
“Labor candidates started doing it in 2007 and more probably will from now on. It hides the money trail.”
Hence, tens of thousands of dollars in disclosed donations are small change, creating a false sense of transparency.
“For example,” continues Thompson, “Iemma and Sartor had huge money-raising dinners in the lead up to the 2007 election. The net from Sartor's was over $700,000 and the net from Iemma's was over $900,000. None of that money shows up in their individual returns - it was reported by Sussex St.”
Answering generally, the Pacific director of NGO Transparency International concurred that opacity feeds distrust, saying that “without disclosing the source and amount of political donation, people cannot judge whether there is a conflict of interest in the public procurement of projects granted.”
No textbook corruption – “here is my money, where is my favour?” – has been proven with regard to any sitting Labor, or Liberal MP, in the current parliament. But when major construction firms donate half a million dollars to both sides of parliament, it begs the question ‘where do the failures in democracy lie?’ In an individual legally demonstrable to have acted corruptly, or in a process so clouded by potential for bias and antisocial outcomes that nobody can be blamed for doubting its legitimacy?
Substantive questions remained unanswered by the Minister’s office and the Department of Premier and Cabinet at the time of going to press.
Source: City Hub 18th September 2008 http://alternativemediagroup.com/ThreadView.aspx?tid=9131#post_9131
]]>In the electoral domain of the SSH, winners were grinners on the Saturday night of the election, with the three candidates forecast to win by the SSH all claiming victory.
Kristina Keneally returned for her second sitting in the Heffron seat with a significant yet predictable 24.2 % win over the Liberals and the Greens. Both of the latter recorded positive swings in part due to the absence of competing parties. Special mention must be made however of the Greens’ Ben Spies-Butcher for a hard-earned 6.0% swing in his favour.
The seat of Marrickville was always going to be close following a tough 2005 Bi-election win for Labor. Consistent with voting outcomes for the night, Marrickville voters baulked at change. Labor’s Tebbutt improved on her previous 10.2% winning margin adding a further 5%, despite a +4.0 % swing in favour of the Greens’ Fiona Byrne.
Of the performance Carmel said from her celebrations at the Royal Exchange Hotel in Marrickville, “We are very happy with the result, and the fact that we improved on 2005 is a real endorsement of our efforts in the electorate”.
Tebbutt announced after the elections that she had relinquished the Education Minister portfolio to spend more time with her family. While not ruling out a comeback to the frontbench, the Marrickville MP said she was cognisant the opportunity may not arise again.
Clover Moore will celebrate her twentieth year in the seat of Sydney next year, formerly the seat of Bligh. Moore further added to her dominance in the seat, with a 2.5 % swing in her favour, recording more than 40 % of the primary vote. This is the first time she has hit punched above 40% since 1991. The Liberal party’s Edward Mandla faired second best with 20.6%, marginally in front of Labor’s Linda Scott (19.9%).
Clover greeted her party faithful at Friscos in Woolloomooloo, thanking both Council and MP staff and supporters present. “It’s such a fantastic victory,” said Moore. “We have fabulous opportunities ahead of us and we are going to look to make the most of them.” SSH
Source: South Sydney Herald April 2007 – www.southsydneyherald.com.au