16 December 2004

RWA Board Members

Attached please find text of Minister Sartor’s Media Statement regarding RWA Board Appointments. We have been trying to get this information from Minister Sartor’s office for the last 3 days but it appears as we are not media we are not entitled to it! If you went by what has been said in the media you still would not know who was on the Board!

Minister Sartor’s office needs to realise that they need to feed such information into the community otherwise it looks very much as if the Minister is only concerned with managing his relationship with the main stream media rather than getting the actual information being announced out to those that are impacted by it!

ABC 7.30 Report

Mat Peacock has been working on a piece for the last week or so on Redfern Waterloo and we understand has interviewed Minister Sartor. Hopefully this will go to air tonight between 7.30 and 8.00.

Inquiry Into Redfern Waterloo Issues Released Today

The Upper House Final Report was released today at 12pm. The Final Report will be posted on the NSW Parliament Website later today so you can download it from the Parliamentary web site when it is available http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/8CCF4160D3E9AAD3CA256E4A00024CD5

How to View RWA Papers Called for by Legislative Council

Sylvia Hale has provided us with some clarification on how the papers process works. The papers called for should be delivered to Parliament on 23 December and available for inspection by any member of the public from then. If you plan to go in on 23 December it is worthwhile checking with Sylvia’s office on 9230 3030 who can find out if they have arrived yet.

Parliament will be closing at mid-day on 24 December and won't reopen till Tuesday, 4 Jan. As far as Sylvia is aware there is no limitation on how long people have to inspect the documents. The documents will be in the office of the Clerk of the Parliament, John Evans. You don't need a Parliamentarian present but if you wish to photocopy anything we think you'll have to do it on the account of on of the Parliamentarians.

The Government will undoubtedly claim privilege with regard to some documents.. In this case MPs will be the only people able to read those docs and they won't be able to divulge the contents. MP’s can lodge a letter disputing the claims of privilege, in which case the documents would go to an independent arbiter (usually Sir Laurence Street) to determine whether the claim for privilege should be upheld or not. This could take some time.

A careful reading of the documents (eg when and by whom prepared, who given copies, references to docs that aren't included in the package) may lead to more documents being demanded and produced.

REDWatch and the Greens already have the names of a few people who have volunteered to come in and read documents so they can be split up and gone through reasonably quickly. If you would like to be involved in this please let Geoff Turnbull on turnbullfamily@stassen.com.au or Seb Crawford Seb.Crawford@parliament.nsw.gov.au know you are interested. Depending on the volume of documents tabled it is likely that this process will continue after 4^th January when Parliamentary offices re-open.

RWA Board Members

Text of Media Release Issued by Frank Sartor Dec 14 2004

TOP-LEVEL BOARD APPOINTED TO STEER REDFERN-WATERLOO AUTHORITY

Planning for the revitalisation of Redfern and Waterloo has taken a major step forward with the appointment of the Redfern-Waterloo Authority Board and Chief Executive Officer.

The Minister responsible for the Authority, Frank Sartor, says members of the ten-member board have been drawn from a wide range of professions.

"This is a board that is going to get things done. It has a strong mix of skills including planning, architecture, valuation, heritage and social justice," said Mr Sartor.

"The appointments cross over government and non-government agencies, including two of the state's most senior directors-general. The board's make-up reflects strong local government experience."

Mr Sartor has named David Richmond as the Authority's chairman. He is the former Director-General of the Olympic Coordinating Authority, and currently chairs the Sydney Olympic Park Authority and the Parramatta Road Taskforce.

Former City of Sydney General Manager Robert Domm has been appointed as CEO of the Redfern-Waterloo Authority, and will also serve on its board.

"Both David Richmond and Robert Domm have proven to be highly effective managers," said Mr Sartor.

"The appointment of such experienced staff reflects the State Government's determination to see a complete shake-up in Redfern-Waterloo, to improve the lives of residents."

The Board will also include:

•           Michael Collins, valuer and chair of the Heritage Council;

•           Marcia Ella-Duncan, chair of the ATSIC Sydney Regional Council;

•           Dr Col Gellatly. Director-General of the Premier's Department;

•           Richard Johnson, award-winning Sydney architect;

•           Clover Moore MP, Member for Bligh and Sydney Lord Mayor; •        

•           Sam Mostyn, Insurance Australia Group executive;

•           Lucy Turnbull, former Sydney Lord Mayor;

•           Jennifer Westacott, Director-General of Department of Infrastructure, Planning

and Natural Resources.

Chair- Professor David Richmond AO

Professor Richmond is former Director-General of the Olympic coordinating Authority and current Chairman of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, the Parramatta Road Taskforce and the Premier's Taskforce on Government capital Works procurement strategies. He recently provided strategic advice to the President of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and is the Inaugural Director and Professor of the University of Sydney's Graduate School of Government. Professor Richmond is the author of the Richmond Report to the NSW Government, and In 1890 earned the National Council for intellectual Disability's Making the Difference Award.

CEO - Mr Robert Domm

Mr Domm was the General Manager of the City of Sydney from December 2001 to October 2004, after joining the council as Deputy General Manager and Chief of Staff to the Lord Mayor. During this period, Mr Domm successfully handled the City’s mergers with Glebe and Kings Cross in May 2003, and with South Sydney Council in February 2004. This involved significant organisational reform which saw the Council named as Australia's fourth best-performing government organisation by the Business Review Weekly. Mr Domm holds postgraduate qualifications in labour law and industrial relations.

Mr Michael Collins

Mr Collins is chair of the Heritage Council of NSW end served as National President of the Australian Property Institute from 2003-2004. He Is the Director of Michael Collins & Associates Pty Limited, a property consultancy service which advises private and public sector clients as well as undertaking feasibility studies for a wide range of development opportunities. Mr Collins played a key role in the redevelopment of Darling Harbour and the planning of Olympic Park, and served as Chief Property Consultant to the NSW Government for the Sydney Games. He served on the City of Sydney Development Advisory Committee from 1998 to 2002.

Ms Marcia Ella-Duncan AO

Ms Ella-Duncan currently serves as Chairperson for the Sydney Regional Council of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission. She has previously held several key indigenous advisory positions with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the NSW Attorney-General's Aboriginal Justice Advisory Council and the Department of Juvenile Justice. A member of the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council, Ms Ella-Durlcan represented Australia in netball and was awarded the Order of Australia medal for services to the sport In 1988.

Mr Richard Johnson MBE

An award-winning architect, Mr Johnson is Adjunct Professor of Architecture at the University of  New South Wales and a Director of Johnson Pilton Walker Architects. He is an Associate of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and the Japan Institute of Architects, and a Member of the Design Institute of Australia. Mr Johnson is also responsible for designing the Australian embassies In Beijing and Tokyo.

He is the Chief Architect for the Sydney Opera House end in also currently working on projects including the Australian War Memorial, the Hilton Hotel and the Asian wing of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Ms Sam Mostyn

Ma Mostyn Is currently the Group Executive, Culture and Reputation at Insurance Australia Group (IAG), managing such areas as Human Resources, Corporate Affairs, Government Relations and Policy and Community Engagement. She is a qualified lawyer and served as a senior Policy Adviser to former Prime Minister Paul Keating. Ms Mostyn has also steered a pilot crime prevention strategy in the Redfern-Waterloo area, in partnership with police and local business, focusing on crime reduction and community development.

Ms Lucy Turnbull MBA

Ms Turnbull was Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney from 2003 to 2004 and Deputy Lord Mayor from 1999 to 2003. She has extensive experience in planning, business and investment banking. She Currently Chairs many companies, both private and public, including WebCentral Group Limited, Centrestone Wealth Management Pty Limited and Pengana Holdings Limited. Former chair of the NSW Government's Ministerial Advisory Committee on Biotechnology, Ms Turnbull has also served on the NSW Government's Information Industry Business Advisory Board. She is the author of Sydney- Biography ore City (1999) and a member of the Turnbull Foundation, which has provided significant financial support to the community-based Redfern Foundation.

Ms Clover Moore MP

Ms Moore has served as Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney since March 2004. She has held the seat of Bligh in State Parliament since 1988.

Dr Col Gellatly

Director-General of the Premier's Department.

Ms Jennifer Westacott

Director-General of the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources.