Redfern Waterloo Authority Act 2004 No 107

The Redfern Waterloo Authority Bill was given assent by the Governor on 15/12/2004. None of the provisions have commenced. The final version of the Bill with all amendments accepted in both houses is now on the parliamentary website at http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/NSWBills.nsf/0/B1F2C994A8FD6FAFCA256F480036E93E.

As the legislation is now an Act it now appears in the NSW Legislation Database www.legislation.nsw.gov.au at the following link Redfern–Waterloo Authority Act 2004 No 107 and any regulations and any future amendments will appear on this site.

Inspecting Redfern Waterloo Authority Papers Called for by the Legislative Council

Some clarification on our last update, while papers are to be delivered by 23^rd December I am advised that it is very unlikely that it will be possible to view them on this day. The 24^th December is only a half day and the staff that supervises the room and copying would prefer that if possible we leave looking at documents until the next full day which will be January 4^th 2005. Many politicians will be away for at least another week. Any challenging of privilege will need to wait until Parliamentarians have an opportunity to go through any material the Government says is privileged. If you are available to assist with looking at documents in the week beginning 4^th January 2005 please contact us at turnbullfamily@stassen.com.au .

Inquiry into issues relating to Redfern Waterloo Final Report

We have attached the Executive Summary and the Recommendations from the above report as we felt this might be more widely read than the entire report before Christmas. A copy of the entire report can be obtained by contacting the Secretariat - phone (02) 9230 2898 or email socialissues@parliament.nsw.gov.au. It can also be downloaded from the following website Final Report on Inquiry into issues relating to Redfern and Waterloo, 16/12/2004, 5029 Kb.

It is pleasing to see that the Inquiry has looked at some of the questions raised during the establishment of the RWA and that they have made some recommendations about some of these matters as well as about the Human Services Review (HSR) which hopefully the Government will respond positively towards.

Implications for Redfern Waterloo from the Human Services Review Report Backs

At the Human Services Review report backs much emphasis was put on the need for co-operative approaches between Governments, Service Providors, Service Users and residents. The importance of this is emphasized in Attachment 1 to the Morgan Disney HSR report and also now in the Upper House Inquiry Report. The Service Providors and residents have also been asking for greater involvement with Government in the decisions being made about the area and genuine partnerships in addressing the areas challenges. It is clear what is required and the ball is very much in the Governments court.

Minister Sartor, the RWA and the RWPP must ensure that they approach the new period of government activity in Redfern Waterloo in a way which is consistent with the processes discussed in the HSR report. They must genuinely consult and genuinely engaged the community in the decisions and the processes and take the community with them as partners. A failure to do this will likely see yet another opportunity wasted to address the areas issues and also see continued confrontation between the community and government.

There is much good will about what can be done with the new Government commitments as well as much suspicion based on earlier experiences of dealing with Government in the area. Coming into the New Year it will be very important for the Minister, the RWA and the RWPP build community confidence that there will be a change in the way Government does business in the area and that the future will be based on a more co-operative approach with the community that is required in the HSR report and the R/W Inquiry.

The community will be watching the Minister Sartor, the RWA and the RWPP for indications of such changes in what do and more importantly how they go about it.

Redfern/Waterloo Community New Years Day Celebration at Redfern Park

The City of Sydney Council has organised family celebrations from 2pm-7pm on Saturday 1^st January at Redfern Park. Entertainment will be provided by Christine Anu, The Stiff Gins, The Hands, Basik Sounds and the Garrabarra Dancers. Bring a rug and enjoy the park, a free BBQ rides and games. More information about New Years activities on www.sydneynewyearseve.com.au - go to the “Whats On” link at the top of the page.

Australia Technology Park Reports Losses

Today’s SMH carries an article Showcase for brilliance - except at making money about the current financial health of the ATP which will be rolled into the Redfern-Waterloo Authority. As any problems at the ATP’s may impact now on the self funding RWA’s activities we have reproduced the SMH article at the end of this email so you are aware of the ATP’s situation. We have also provided the link to the full ATP Annual Report 2003 - 2004 Australian Technology Park Annual Report.

Seasons Greetings

We take this opportunity to thank you for your support of Redfern Waterloo Issues over the last year. We hope that your have a Peaceful Christmas and that 2005 will be a Great Year for you and also for Redfern Waterloo.

Showcase for brilliance - except at making money

By Debra Jopson
December 21, 2004 SMH

The government-owned company operating Australian Technology Park, which aims to be "a lighthouse for quality" showcasing the nation's genius for innovation, has made a loss of almost $5 million in the past financial year.

This follows a loss of more than $4 million in the previous year, even though the company pays no rent for its 14-hectare site at Redfern. It has also repaid none of the $47.2 million loan it has received from the park's current owner, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.

The company's annual report reveals that the new Redfern-Waterloo Authority will inherit a financial headache when it acquires the technology park early next year.

Australian Technology Park Precinct Management, which has the job of attracting high-tech businesses to lease premises on government-owned land at the former Eveleigh Railway Workshops site, was hit last financial year with a $4 million bill to fix a heritage roof.

It is now due for a second $4 million bill for remediation works after dust in the roof trusses of an old locomotive workshop on the site was found to contain lead paint particles, the annual report recently tabled in Parliament reveals.

Even without the clean-up bill, ATPPM, which since July 2001 has operated under the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, would still have recorded a loss of about $1 million in 2003-04, the report said.

The Foreshore Authority's acting chief executive, Sandra Chipchase, did not answer a question from the Herald about whether the company was headed for another loss in 2004-05. Her authority had "revolutionised" the park's management, lifting its occupancy to 97 per cent. "This has not been a time for debt reduction, but rather a time for expanding the park to reach the economies of scale needed to turn [it] into a future profit centre," she said.

The technology park, where about 1200 people work in more than 100 companies, was kick-started by three Sydney universities nine years ago with $45 million from state and federal government. Its management company has been given numerous financial breaks. It has not had to repay any of its loan from its current parent body, the Foreshore Authority. Nor has it had to pay rent under a 10-year deal worth $14.4 million.

These loan and lease deals will now be subject to negotiation with the Redfern-Waterloo Authority and its new board, Ms Chipchase said.

The value of the company's assets dropped in 2003-04 when the valuation of two heritage-listed buildings was reduced by $23 million. But this had "no impact on profitability", Ms Chipchase said.

The tax office also told the company in July that it had lost its income tax-free status because it no longer qualifies as a scientific institution.

This was not a concern because it is only liable for notional taxes payable to NSW Treasury, Ms Chipchase said.

ATPPM has concentrated on attracting companies specialising in nanotechnologies and computer technology to aid biological research, but cabinet documents sighted by the Herald reveal the Government has been advised to broaden the focus of the park to lift the number of jobs there to 15,000.

The park had a 10 per cent return on investment and it would not be long before it made a profit, Ms Chipchase said.