16 December 2005

RWA Releases Draft Employment & Enterprise Plan – Consultation closes 28^th February 2006
Human Services Plan
Redfern Public School Agencies still looking for new homes
The Built Environment Redfern Waterloo Plan
Macdonaldtown Stabling Yards
RWA and ATP Annual Reports Released
Further Changes to RWA Development Web Pages
REDWatch adds translation links
Connect Redfern Listing Updates by Friday 13^th January 2006
UTS Shopfront Deadline for New Community Projects – 30^th January 2006
Coming Events

RWA Releases Draft Employment & Enterprise Plan – Consultation closes 28^th February 2006

The RWA has released a draft Employment & Enterprise Plan for Redfern Waterloo. The Draft (177Kb PDF) can be downloaded from http://www.redfernwaterloo.com.au/other/eep_land_draft.pdf . A statement about the report has bee added to http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/redfern_waterloo_plan/employment_and_enterprise.php .

The draft Employment and Enterprise Plan envisages the creation of up to 18,000 jobs in the area over future years. The draft Plan will form an integral part of the overall Redfern-Waterloo Plan. As a result the Draft Employment and Enterprise Plan provides some indications of what will follow in the Built Environment component of the Redfern Waterloo Plan when it is released, as construction jobs connected to this plan are to provide significant initial employment.

The Draft explores a range of issues relating to unemployment in the area and looks at sectors where employment and enterprise activities can be developed. It is clear that RWA thinking on Aboriginal programmes are much more developed at this time although youth unemployment is flagged as an important priority. The recent changes to federal support for parents and those with a disability are also recognised as having a particular impact in the area as is intergenerational unemployment.

The Draft Plan covers a range of strategies from working with peak industry bodies, unions, Chambers of Commerce, local businesses and schools. It also looks at possibilities for self employment, markets and events to change the image of Redfern in the wider community.

Even if you don’t see yourself as affected by local employment issues you should read this Draft to get indications of how the RWA sees the area changing in the future.

This is an important policy document. On it rests the ability of those currently marginalised from employment and enterprise to gain an ongoing stake in the benefits of the “renewal” of their suburbs. The reduction of some of the welfare dependency in the area and, over time, changes in the human service needs of the area are dependant on its success. It is important that this Plan is adequately funded and that it seriously addresses the issues facing all sectors of the Redfern Waterloo communities.

The consultation runs until 28^th February 2006. Hopefully the consultation will point out some of the areas where the Plan is able to be strengthened further.

Human Services Plan

The Human Services Plan went through cabinet earlier this week and as soon as possible it will be posted on the RWA website. Printed copies of the Human Services Plan will be available in early 2006. The RWA’s website states that:

“28 written submissions were received from members of the public and organisations. Suggestions put forward in those submissions have been taken into consideration by the State Cabinet in approving the final draft of the Human Services Plan.”

Human Service providers and the broader community will be keen to see what changes have been made to the Final Human Services Plan from the submission process. We understand the RWA is going to contact those who made submissions and ask them for approval for their submissions to be made public (a few have already been made public on the REDWatch website). The release of the submissions will be important in understanding the range of concerns raised by the community and how these have been reflected in the final Human Services Plan.

It was originally indicated that consultations on the second part of the Human Services Plan would start in December but this has not eventuated and will now start in early 2006. The Youth Task Force has been formed to bring together those working in the new youth service delivery precincts with plans for a communications strategy sub-group to ensure all are informed.

The Evaluation of the Redfern Waterloo Street Team has still not been released. REDWatch and a number of human service organisations are strongly of the view that it needs to be. Hopefully the RWA will release it with the necessary privacy deletions without the need for the FOI request that has been foreshadowed.

Redfern Public School Agencies still looking for new homes

The Department of Education and Training has given agencies based at the old Redfern Public School notices of termination for their tenancy for the end of May 2006. Robert Domm and Nette Griggs from the RWA are working with the agencies to find alternative accommodation but so far nothing suitable has been found.

Cleveland St Intensive Language School site has been offered by the Department of Education and Training however it would take agencies like South Sydney Community Aid out of Redfern and Waterloo and into Strawberry Hills. The site offered to South Sydney Community Aid was great for the Neighbourhood Centre's needs however it was up four flights of stairs with no disability access, no parking and current clients would have major difficulties for their clients reaching them from Waterloo. Given the level of mild to medium disabilities many people accessing some of these services it would be impossible for them to reach the Cleveland Street School without assistance and transport. South Sydney Community Aid has declined the Department of Education and Training’s offer.

If you have any suggestions for a new home for any of the agencies affected by the Redfern School sale please contact the agencies directly or the RWA.

The Built Environment Redfern Waterloo Plan

The Redfern Waterloo Plan dealing with the Built Environment was expected to be released in December but will now be released in early February 2006. As mentioned above there is some indication in the Employment and Enterprise Plan as to the RWA’s thinking about developments on some of the sites.

Macdonaldtown Stabling Yards

We only found out about this thanks to the South Sydney Herald and we will post their article on the media part of the REDWatch website. We were not able to let people know about the issues prior to extended submissions closing on 14^th December 2005. The yards are within the RWA’s State Significant boundary but the RWA is not the consent authority.

The stabling yards are part of the railway clearways project. In effect some trains will stay at Mcdonaldtown between peaks rather than have to travel out to the west. While an excellent transport initiative there are concerns from those who live near the proposed yards about the adequacy of the sound mitigation arrangements required to control the noise from the testing of horns and breaks that is necessary before trains leave the yard at 4am. More details about the proposal can be found on the REDWatch web site at http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/statesignificant/stabling/ .

A group has been formed called No Stabling Yards Macdonaldtown and can be contacted by email on no_stabling_yards@yahoo.com.au

RWA and ATP Annual Reports Released

The RWA has produced its first Annual Report for the first 6 months of its operation. While the printed version has been seen it is not yet up on the RWA website but we would expect it to be posted in the near future at http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/publications/reports.htm .

The ATP also posted their first Annual Report following the movement of the ATP to the RWA. The Annual Report is a huge 11.5 MB PDF file and it can be downloaded from http://www.atp.com.au/uploads/documents/ATP_Annual_Report_Final%20Version.pdf

Further Changes to RWA Development Web Pages

The RWA have made a number of additions to their website pages since our last update dealing with Development Applications and approval processes. The pages in this section now are:

Role of the RWA http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/development_applications/role_of_the_rwa.htm
Development Applications http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/development_applications/index.html
Exempt Development http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/development_applications/exempt_development.htm
Plans and Guidelines http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/development_applications/plans_and_guidelines.htm
Forms http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/development_applications/forms.htm
Development Proposals on Exhibition (currently none) http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/development_applications/development_proposals_on_exhibition.htm
Notices of Determination (currently none) http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/development_applications/notices_of_determination.htm

REDWatch adds translation links

REDWatch has added links to various online web translation tools to their website. If you know someone who might benefit from using these tools to get a rough translation of these updates, articles on the REDWatch website or other sites visit http://www.redwatch.org.au/redw/translation-tools . This page has links to many on line translation tools. Some easily added tools, like Babel Fish, do not handle major Redfern Waterloo community languages.

REDWatch can not guarantee the translations. In Russian Minister Sartor may be a minister of religion and not a government minister for example. To get some indication of potential translation troubles convert a passage from English into another language and then convert it back to English. Then compare the double translation with the original.

Connect Redfern Listing Updates by Friday 13^th January 2006

With holidays around just a reminder that Jo Fletcher needs details of events and changes for the Connect Redfern listings for Term 1 of 2006 by Friday 13^th January 2006. Current listings can be checked on the REDWatch website at http://www.redwatch.org.au/redw/services/connectredfern/

UTS Shopfront Deadline for New Community Projects – 30^th January 2006

Through the UTS shopfront, UTS aims to assist match community group projects with students looking for community based projects as part of their course work. Submit your community project for first term 2006 at http://www.shopfront.uts.edu.au/submitproject or call Pauline or Lisa on 02 9514 2900 to find out more.

Coming Events

Events are being added as we hear about them to http://www.redwatch.org.au/events_listing . Visit it now to see coming events.