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02 November 2005

Cluster Groups will meet to discuss Draft Human Services Plan / Coordinated and Integrated Human Service Delivery Models basis for Human Services Plan / Settlement Management Committee Gives Reasons for not responding to Draft Human Services Plan / The RWA and Consultation – An ongoing Problem / Department of Housing conversion on 28 bid sit units in Matavia and Turunga / Update on implementation of the Aboriginal Strategic Direction at Redfern Police LAC / Moore City of Sydney Meetings for Redfern Waterloo / Squat Space Redfern-Waterloo Tours of Beauty / Text of Redfern & Regent Street Upgrade Public Meeting Notice with key Upgrade Features / There is also information about important coming events including tonight: "Can we afford unaffordable housing?” Wednesday 2nd November 5-7pm / Redfern and Regent Street Upgrade Wednesday 2 November 2005 6pm – 7.30pm Redfern Town Hall / Deadline for Draft Human Service Plan Response – 11th November 2005 / National Day of Protest over “WorkChoices” Legislation - November 15, 2005 / REDWatch Hillsong Forum - Sunday 20th November 2pm Factory Community Centre Waterloo / City of Sydney Community Forum for Redfern Waterloo and Darlington Tuesday 22 November 6-8.30 pm Redfern Town Hall / Centre for Popular Education, University of Technology Sydney Workshop on Community Development 25th November / REDWatch Meeting Sunday 27th November at Factory Community Centre 2pm

In this Update:

 

Cluster Groups will meet to discuss Draft Human Services Plan

Coordinated and Integrated Human Service Delivery Models basis for Human Services Plan

Settlement Management Committee Gives Reasons for not responding to Draft Human Services Plan

The RWA and Consultation – An ongoing Problem

Department of Housing conversion on 28 bid sit units in Matavia and Turunga

Update on implementation of the Aboriginal Strategic Direction at Redfern Police LAC

Moore City of Sydney Meetings for Redfern Waterloo

Squat Space Redfern-Waterloo Tours of Beauty

Text of Redfern & Regent Street Upgrade Public Meeting Notice with key Upgrade Features

 

There is also information about important coming events including tonight:

 

"Can we afford unaffordable housing?” Wednesday 2nd November 5-7pm

Redfern and Regent Street Upgrade Wednesday 2 November 2005 6pm – 7.30pm Redfern Town Hall

Deadline for Draft Human Service Plan Response – 11th November 2005

National Day of Protest over “WorkChoices” Legislation - November 15, 2005

REDWatch Hillsong Forum - Sunday 20th November 2pm Factory Community Centre Waterloo

City of Sydney Community Forum for Redfern Waterloo and Darlington Tuesday 22 November 6-8.30 pm Redfern Town Hall

Centre for Popular Education, University of Technology Sydney Workshop on Community Development 25th November

REDWatch Meeting Sunday 27th November at Factory Community Centre 2pm

Cluster Groups will meet to discuss Draft Human Services Plan

Some of the cluster groups that met earlier this year on Families & Children, Youth, Health and Aboriginal issues were told that they would be bought back together to discuss the draft Human Services Plan. At the Public Information Meeting on October 29 the RWA said they would reconvene cluster groups prior to the feedback on the Plan closing so that clusters can discuss the Draft Human Services Plan. We expected details this morning but it has not yet arrived so as soon as we have information about the dates we will send out the details. The final reports from the cluster groups can be downloaded from the foot of the RWA human services page http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/redfern_waterloo_plan/human_services.htm .

Coordinated and Integrated Human Service Delivery Models basis for Human Services Plan

There has been some discussion and disagreement over the basis being used by the RWA for the Redfern Waterloo Draft Human Services Plan (HSP) that service hubs are "currently considered to be the optimal way to provide quality, integrated, services to clients". We have been told that the research on which the model for one stop shops in the delivery of youth services in the draft HSP is based is UNSW Social Policy Research Centre Report 1/05 “Coordinated and Integrated Human Service Delivery Models” by Michael Fine, Kuru Pancharatnam and Cathy Thomson. This report has been circulated to youth service providers was prepared for the NSW Cabinet Office and Premier’s Department in March 2000. The report (208Kb pdf) can be downloaded from http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/reports/SPRCReport1_05.pdf .

The methodology of the study was based on a literature review of articles about projects in the USA, UK and Australia and explores 10 options for coordinated and integrated human service models. The report itself notes the difficulty of finding any evaluations of the model. One local human service worker we have spoken to does not believe the case studies fit Redfern Waterloo.

We would be interested in any information about any evaluations of the service hub mode, especially as it might apply to delivering youth services, critiques of the model or studies of its implementation in an area similar to Redfern Waterloo in the 5+ years since the literature review which might indicate how the model the RWA is proposing might perform in Redfern Waterloo.

Settlement Management Committee Gives Reasons for not responding to Draft Human Services Plan

The Settlement Management committee has supplied the RWA with reasons why they will not be providing a detailed submission to the RWA on the Draft Human Services Plan. They have also posted their reasons on the REDWatch Speak Out Page which can be viewed at http://www.redwatch.org.au/redw/speakout/051023hsp

The RWA and Consultation – An ongoing Problem

As it is now over 12 months ago since the NSW Government announced plans to establish the RWA, Geoff has written an article exploring the community’s experience of ‘consultation’ in the twelve months since the announcement entitled “Actions Speak Louder than Words: Redfern-Waterloo’s Recent Experience of ‘Consultation’”. The article has been published in Indigenous Law Bulletin August / September 2005 (Vol 6 Issue 13) which focused on the right to housing for Indigenous people. The issue also contains other articles about Redfern including “Urban Indigenous Housing Issues in Redfern” by Jacqui Wilkinson and the “Two Realities of the Block” by Elizabeth Rice in collaboration with the Aboriginal Housing Company.

A new section on Issues has been started on the REDWatch website and the first issue posted is based on Geoff’s article. It can be viewed at http://www.redwatch.org.au/issues/partnership/ . Given the anger about how the RWA has handled the Redfern School sale announcement with its associated human services implications, concerns about the Human Services Plan process, the appointment of government representatives to taskforces as community representatives (http://www.redwatch.org.au/media/051010greens ) and the failure to still hold any community forums or set up a mechanism for broad based community representation we are sure on the current track record that there will be new case studies added to this section in future!

Department of Housing conversion on 28 bed-sit units in Matavia and Turunga

Last week DoH issued a media release announcing a redevelopment of 28 bed-sit units into improved one-bedroom apartments in Matavia and Turunga in Waterloo. The media statement can be found at http://www.redwatch.org.au/media/051024doh . With DoH spending $880,000 on this project as part of the Iemma Government’s $30 million a year plan to boost the standard of public housing in the Central Sydney area we can probably assume, in line with various DoH studies that Matavia and Turunga will not be in the road of the bulldozers when the RWA come to implement Stage Two of the Redfern Waterloo Plan which is to include public housing.

Update on implementation of the Aboriginal Strategic Direction at Redfern Police LAC

Last year during the Legislative Council Inquiry into Issues relating to Redfern Waterloo there was considerable interest in what was happening at Redfern LAC about implementing the NSW Police Aboriginal Strategic Direction (ASD) policy regarding policing in areas with significant Aboriginal communities. The Inquiry was told of a number of steps that were being taken to better equip police to work in the area such as filling all four Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (ACLO) positions, and establishing a training program at Tranby. We were keen to get an update on what was happening and so we asked the new Redfern Local Area Commander Catherine Burn for an update which we have included below for your information:

The command is doing a lot regarding the issues you raise. We have recently commenced putting our police through a revised corporate cultural training course run through Westmead College. It is a day course and it is extremely good. So far we have put 8 police through this course and have a commitment to ensure all police at the Command have this training.

We are also finalising a local cultural awareness training package which all new police to the command will undertake during their induction. This includes those who come into the command on short term secondments. This course goes for a day and is coordinated by our Education Officer and our ACLOs. It involves contact with local Aboriginal Community members, social issues relevant to the command (eg. alcohol, youth, domestic violence, health), information re local Aboriginal history, families and sites of significance, introduction to key organisations in the area, young offenders legal referral and the role and responsibilities of our ACLOs. Our first one will be run in mid November.

I also have a commitment to the ASD including running LACACCs [Local Area Command Aboriginal Consultative Committees] (both senior and youth). Our next LACACC is on 15/11/05. My two broad aims are to build a better relationship between police and the Aboriginal community and to fight crime through a range of strategies (domestic violence focus, PCYC, Youth mentoring, diversionary programs, Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment etc)

I am also attempting to increase the number of Aboriginal people at the police station through the CDEP, work experience and perhaps a trainee program. We are also going to attend schools to encourage recruitment in the future.

We have recently employed a third ACLO, Kalmain Williams. He is going very well and is assisting us with enhancing communication and interaction with young people in the area. This will be combined with a return to our Youth mentoring program. We have several activities planned including a horse whispering program and a camp. We have also recently advertised the fourth ACLO position. Hopefully we will get some applicants. If successful, we should have this person at the command by December sometime. These are just some of the things I have been working on.

We are grateful to Commander Burn for this update. Those attending the RWA Human Services Public Meeting also heard Commander Burn tell the meeting that the Police have talked with local liquor licensees and that they are planning some operations on the service of alcohol, an area that has been of considerable concern to many in the community. Commander Burn also made reference to the Police reviewing their mentoring programme so it was not seen as rewarding bad behaviour.

(Details of the ASD and Ombudsman’s recent report on the policy can be found at http://www.redwatch.org.au/govt/nsw/police/aboriginalissues ).

Moore City of Sydney Meetings for Redfern Waterloo

We may have felt as though Redfern Waterloo had been neglected over the last year as far as community forums were concerned. But now that council has packaged up its $50 million worth of projects for the area, meetings are coming thick and fast with a consultation on Redfern and Regent Streets on Wednesday 2nd November and another Redfern, Waterloo and Darlington Community Forum on Tuesday 22 November. Further details below.

Redfern Precinct has now even got its own web page on the council’s web site http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Development/UrbanRenewalProjects/RedfernPrecinct/Default.asp . The CoS site does not currently have up to date information on the Redfern and regent Street Upgrades so we have added the text of the leaflet for the public meeting at the foot of this email.

At the September Community Forum the council produced a document dealing with various community concerns in the area. If you have not seen this a 377 KB pdf file can be downloaded from http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Community/documents/CommunityForums/QA_Redfern150905.pdf .

Squat Space Redfern-Waterloo Tours of Beauty

Under the heading “The future’s so bright I have to wear shades” artists collective Squat Space have run two bus tours of Redfern Waterloo to introduce people to the issues of the area. The tours were sold out quickly showing a lot of interest by people in finding out what was going on in the area. You can read about the tours and peoples reactions to them on http://www.squatspace.com/blog/?cat=3 .

"Can we afford unaffordable housing?” Wednesday 2nd November 5-7pm

The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Sydney Research Centre and the Centre for Affordable Housing, NSW Department of Housing, are jointly sponsoring a seminar entitled "Can we afford unaffordable housing?” A visiting English academic Professor Peter Ambrose will present the seminar, with Associate Professor Peter Phibbs as discussant.  The seminar will be held in the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Sydney between 5pm and 7pm. Please note that there is no charge for the seminar but RSVPs would be appreciated to ensure that sufficient seats are available. The contact officer for the seminar in the Faculty of Architecture is Anne Christian (chris_a@usyd.edu.au )  (Ph 02 935 16069)

Redfern and Regent Street Upgrade Wednesday 2 November 2005 6pm – 7.30pm Redfern Town Hall

The City is holding a public meeting to review proposed designs for the renewal of Redfern and Regent Streets. More information on the proposals can be found at the foot of this email. The meeting is from 6.00pm to 7.30pm Wednesday 2 November 2005 at Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt Street, Redfern. Information: Project Manager Mukesh Malhotra, phone 9246 7768, email mmalhotra@cityofsydney.gov.au

Deadline for Draft Human Service Plan Response – 11th November 2005

Comments to the RWA on the Draft Plan can be posted at http://www.redfernwaterloo.com.au/feedback/draft_hs_feedback.php If you wish to share your comments with others you can also add them to the REDWatch Speak Out page http://www.redwatch.org.au/redw/speakout/051023hsp .

National Day of Protest over “WorkChoices” Legislation - November 15, 2005

The day will be a national community protest with hundreds of thousands of workers and community members electing to take the day off work and attending one of hundreds of venues nation wide. November 15 will also see Australia's largest ever meeting of workers in a national Sky Channel hook-up organised by the ACTU have to protest the Howard Government's radical attacks on workers rights. The Australia-wide hook-up will feature a briefing on the details of the Government's industrial relations reforms that Workplace Minister, Kevin Andrews has said will be tabled in Parliament by late October.

Community rallies and marches will also take place on 15 November, in most cases following people's participation in the national hook-up. This is an important opportunity for all workers and concerned members of the community to get information and to demonstrate their opposition to the Federal Government's industrial relations reforms. Further more information about the day of action, details of times and venues and publicity material keep an eye on the ACTU website - http://www.rightsatwork.com.au .

This makes November 15th not a good day for the RWA to have a meeting with Youth Services in Redfern Waterloo about their restructuring and expect everyone to turn up. The RWA have been told this at least two recent meetings but they still seem to be pushing ahead. A bit like the Federal Government’s approach on “WorkChoices” really!

REDWatch Hillsong Forum - Sunday 20th November 2pm Factory Community Centre Waterloo

There have been some concerned voiced recently about Hillsong’s involvement in the local community services and reports of pressure being applied to people interacting with the welfare arm to attend Hillsong’s religious events. Some of these issues have been raised in a recent article entitled “Block Sabbath” in the Bulletin http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/bulletin/site/articleIDs/B1F7B9B644715A9DCA25709000243D4F . REDWatch has organised a forum on 20th November with Hillsong Emerge for local residents and service providers to meet and discuss their concerns with Hillsong. The meeting is to be chaired by Rev John MacIntyre who has had a long involvement in community and religious activities in the area. Redfern Waterloo will lose John next year as he has recently been appointed as Bishop of Gippsland in Victoria www.gippsanglican.org.au/McIntyre%20Press%20Release.doc .

City of Sydney Community Forum for Redfern Waterloo and Darlington Tuesday 22 November 6-8.30 pm Redfern Town Hall

There will be another Community Forum held for Redfern Waterloo on 22nd November. From 6pm, you can discuss your specific issues directly with Councillors, CEO and relevant officers and talk to Local Area Police Command representatives about policing and safety issues. This is a good opportunity if you work during the day and have difficulty getting to talk to council about everyday things like garbage collections, trees, parks, development applications to quickly meet with the relevant council officer and put your questions. From 7pm to 8.30pm there is a general community forum with reports from Council, including DAs in your area. Some links to Council material about Redfern Waterloo has been provided above.

Centre for Popular Education, University of Technology Sydney Workshop on Community Development 25th November

“How do we measure the strength of a community? And how can asking this question help strengthen it?” A half-day workshop for people involved in community development, environmental education, and/or social action will be held 9.30am - 1.30pm 25th November 2005. This workshop will be using the Popular Educators' Toolbox for social change   http://www.cpe.uts.edu.au/publications/toolbox.html . Cost $60 /$40 - for further information contact Steven.Yates@uts.edu.au

REDWatch Meeting Sunday 27th November at Factory Community Centre 2pm

The last monthly meeting of REDWatch for the year will be held on 27th November and will be followed by a social get together for the end of the year. The focus of the meeting will be on the Built Environment. The RWA is still talking about having the Draft Redfern Waterloo Plan out before the end of the year and there is interest in discussing the RWA announcement that Public Housing will be included in stage Two of the Redfern Waterloo Plan. Everyone is welcome to come along and be involved in the discussion and to get involved in the group. REDWatch now meets at The Factory, 67 Raglan Street Waterloo.

Text of Redfern & Regent Street Upgrade Public Meeting Notice with key Upgrade Features

PUBLIC MEETING - Redfern and Regent Streets Upgrade

The City of Sydney invites you to attend a public meeting to review proposed designs for the renewal of Redfern and Regent Streets as part of the City's program to revitalise the Redfern district.

WEDNESDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2005, 6pm - 7.30pm

REDFERN TOWN HALL

73 PITT STREET REDFERN NSW 2016

REGENT & REDFERN STREET UPGRADE

I would like to invite you to the public meeting at Redfern Town Hall on 2 November to discuss the plans to upgrade Redfern and Regent Streets.

The meeting is part of the City's ongoing discussion with the community about the plans to revitalise these two important streets.

This project is part of the $50 million commitment by the City to the long-term future of your area and is the first phase of an accelerated roll-out of capital works that is budgeted for and based on consultation with the local community.

In addition to the Regent and Redfern Streets upgrade, the City's projects include:

  • $11 million revamp of Prince Alfred Park, including 50m swimming pool
  • $19 million restoration of Redfern Park
  • $1 million upgrading three parks in the Eveleigh precinct (Yellowmundee, Hugo Street Reserve and Pemulwuy Park) and three parks in East Redfern (James Street Reserve, Marriott Street Reserve and Hansom Cab Place off Young Lane)
  • $500,000 upgrade of the skate-park in Waterloo Park
  • expansion of child care places at Alexandria and Redfern Centres
  • preliminary planning for a new Youth Centre
  • expansion of green waste collection services.

I will be at the meeting along with Councillors and City of Sydney staff to get your feedback about the proposed upgrades, and to provide information about progress to date and the timetable for completion.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Clover Moore MP Lord Mayor of Sydney

THE REDFERN STREET PROJECT

PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE REDFERN PRECINCT TO PROMOTE A VIBRANT, LIVEABLE AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY AND RE-ESTABLISH THE TRADITIONAL ROLE OF THE MAIN STREET. THE CONCEPT DRAWS ON BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES AND RESPONDS TO THE CHARACTER OF THE REDFERN AREA.

AIM

The Redfern Street Project aims to establish Redfern Street as the heart of the village, enhancing its character and amenity. The upgrade will transform Redfern and Regent Streets into a quality public place that can be shared by the diversity of people in the area and become a place for everyday life and special community events.

COMMUNITY CONSULTATION

To ensure the Redfern Street Upgrade is responsive to the needs and wishes of the Redfern community the project includes an extensive community consultation program. All residents are invited to attend a public meeting on Wednesday 2 November 2005 at Redfern Town Hall from 6pm – 7.30pm.

REDFERN STREET KEY FEATURES

BETTER FOOTPATHS

Footpaths and kerbs will be widened at most intersections, improving pedestrian movement, providing increased opportunities for outdoor trading/dining and shortening the length of many of the street's pedestrian crossings. Redfern Street footpaths will be resurfaced with new paving.

PARKING

The upgrade features an improved parking layout to provide greater amenity. Parking will remain well distributed throughout the precinct Commercial vehicle access will be provided for deliveries in the design of Cope Street Reserve.

40KM/H SPEED LIMIT

The speed limit will be reduced to 40km/h in Redfern Street to increase safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

SAFER BICYCLE ACCESS

The upgrade will create a safer environment for cyclists. Plans to improve important cycle routes through the precinct are being prepared in discussion with cycling groups.

MORE STREET TREES

The planting of more street trees will create a picturesque new tree canopy for the precinct. Trees planted in parking bays will provide important shade for parked vehicles. Additional trees will also be planted in Cope Street Reserve to enhance this open space.

IMPROVED LIGHTING

Improved street lighting levels in Redfern Street and Cope Street Reserve will enhance amenity and personal safety, particularly at intersections. New small-scale smart poles will coordinate lighting, traffic signals and signage, replacing numerous older timber poles and separate street signals.

NEW STREET FURNITURE

New street furniture will be introduced along the street in locations providing the greatest amenity while reducing clutter.

REDUCED CLUTTER

All overhead powerlines and service connections will be shifted underground, relieving the streetscape of unsightly overhead clutter.

INCREASED OPEN SPACE

Increased open space is a feature of the upgrade. The expanded Cope Street reserve will provide new grassed and paved areas for passive and informal recreation activities.

DISABLED ACCESS

To ensure that access for people with disabilities is consistent with the City's Disability Action Plan, access ramps and other measures (like tactile indicators) have been incorporated into the upgrade program.

EFFECTIVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Changed traffic conditions are proposed to allow footpath widening at intersections and traffic calming. Proposed changes include no right hand urns for:

  • east bound traffic on Redfern Street into George Street
  • north bound traffic on George Street into Redfern Street
  • west bound traffic on Redfern Street into Pitt Street.

REGENT STREET

LOCALISED FOOTPATH UPGRADES

Localised footpath upgrades involve the replacement of badly damaged pavement and kerbs, while the existing brick paving between Boundary and Raglan Streets will be retained.

PARKING

Parking spaces and configurations will mostly remain unchanged.

NEW TREES

To create a more pleasant and appealing streetscape, new trees will be planted along Regent Street. Prior to planting, potential locations for the new trees will be subject to an underground survey to assess suitability.

WHEN WILL WORK COMMENCE?

Construction works for the Redfern Street Upgrade have been scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2005 and be completed by Christmas 2007.

Under grounding of cables by Energy Australia is expected to commence in January 2006 and be completed by July 2006.

HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY?

While there will be unavoidable impacts on traffic flows, on pedestrian circulation and on business and services fronting the streets during construction, every effort will be made to keep disruption and inconvenience to a minimum.

HOW TO FIND OUT MORE?

Further information will be available at the public meeting on Wednesday 2 November 2005 at Redfern Town Hall or visit the City's website at www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

ENQUIRIES REGARDING REDFERN AND REGENT STREET UPGRADE PROJECT

Enquiries from the general public should be directed to: Mukesh Malhotra Project Manager - Redfern and Regent Street Upgrade Tel: 9246 7768 mmalhotra@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

LISTENING TO COMMUNITY VIEWS

The City of Sydney greatly appreciates the time and effort taken by those who have contributed to the consultative process thus far.

All views and concerns raised by the public have been and will continue to be given careful consideration.