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10 August 2006

Protest to Keep the Block in Aboriginal Hands – Thursday 10th August 6.30pm / Final Human Services Phase Two Forum Report not yet released / Redfern Local Area Traffic management Study / The Parkway Proposal for a Green Pedestrian and Cycle Route from Redfern to the city via Chippendale / CUB Public Meeting organised by the Minister of Planning – Tuesday 15th August 2006 / The Marg Barry Memorial Lecture - Thursday 17 August 2006 3.30pm - “We Never had a Hotbed of Crime” / State Plan / Debates on Future of Rail Heritage / South Sydney Herald August Edition Articles on REDWatch site / The Great St Vincent’s Break In / Redfern Oval / Eveleigh Street Precinct parks - Proposed Artworks / City Talks now available on Podcast / Call for Redwater News Articles / Photo Voice / Kids Rock the Block – Performers wanted

In This Update

Protest to Keep the Block in Aboriginal Hands – Thursday 10th August 6.30pm

Final Human Services Phase Two Forum Report not yet released

Redfern Local Area Traffic management Study

The Parkway Proposal for a Green Pedestrian and Cycle Route from Redfern to the city via Chippendale

CUB Public Meeting organised by the Minister of Planning – Tuesday 15th August 2006

The Marg Barry Memorial Lecture - Thursday 17 August 2006 3.30pm - “We Never had a Hotbed of Crime”

State Plan

Debates on Future of Rail Heritage

South Sydney Herald August Edition Articles on REDWatch site

The Great St Vincent’s Break In

Redfern Oval

Eveleigh Street Precinct parks - Proposed Artworks

City Talks now available on Podcast

Call for Redwater News Articles

Photo Voice

Kids Rock the Block – Performers wanted

Coming Events (entered on the REDWatch website)

Protest to Keep the Block in Aboriginal Hands – Thursday 10th August 6.30pm

Initial response to the plans for the protest on Thursday 10th August has been good. The protest will start at 6.30pm outside the State Government’s Redfern Waterloo Authority offices next to the Redfern RSL Club. Speakers outside the RWA offices will include Bishop John MacIntyre formerly of St Saviour’s Anglican Church Redfern, Geoffrey Turnbull from REDWatch and Rob Welsh from Metro Land Council. The protest will then be invited by Aboriginal Housing Company CEO Michael Mundine to move to The Block where Isabel Coe of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy will conduct a ceremony around a “sacred fire” that symbolises unity amongst those in attendance. The protest will end with a series of speeches from community leaders including Aboriginal Housing Company CEO Mick Mundine, Aboriginal Tent Embassy founder Michael Anderson, and boxer Anthony Mundine. The poster for the Rally can be downloaded here - Keep the Block in Aboriginal Hands Poster (JPG 82Kb). More details can be found at Anthony Mundine joins protesters to fight for The Block - AHC Media Statement 09-08-2006 .

Anthony Mundine is expected to make an announcement about entering politics to fight for The Block’s future. When asked about his political future, Mundine said, “I will do whatever it takes to help my people.” The story appeared in last weekend’s The Sun Herald Mundine squares up to Carmel for political knockout. Carmel Tebbitt responded to the story in an interview with AAP which appeared in The Australian as Labor unfazed by Mundine politics bid. Both the Sun Herald and the AAP interview seem to have missed the point that Redfern’s Block becomes part of the seat of Marrickville with the latest redistribution. So it is logical that Anthony Mundine focuses on the seat of Marrickville as he prepares to “do whatever it takes to help my people” by bringing attention to what the NSW Government is doing to frustrate Aboriginal Housing on The Block.

Underlining the movement of The Block into the Marrickville electorate the Member for Marrickville and Education Minister Carmel Tebbitt visited the AHC offices on Wednesday 9th August 2006 for a briefing on the Pemulwuy project by the AHC. Pemulwuy Taskforce Chairman Tom Uren was also present at the briefing. Tom Uren has recently written to all NSW Government Ministers seeking their support for the Pemulwuy project.

The RWA and the Minister for Redfern-Waterloo have proposed changing planning controls to halve the amount of housing allowed on the Block while increasing the amount of housing the government can build on nearby government owned land. The Government’s final planning controls are imminent and as many people as possible are encouraged to come along to the Rally to send a message to Minister Sartor that the community will not tolerate planning law being used to undermine Aboriginal Housing on The Block – Spread the word and bring your friends!

Organisations wishing to make statements of support for the protest can send them to projectdirector@ahc.org.au.

Final Human Services Phase Two Forum Report not yet released

In the last few days participants received a letter from the RWA which was accompanied by a Consolidated Summary of Human Services Stage 2 Forum (1.3Mb PDF) and Redfern Waterloo Human Services Plan Phase 2 Forum - SUMMARY OF KEY THEMES. What the covering letter did not make clear was that these were the same summaries that were handed to those that attended the RWA’s Human Services Forum on the Tuesday. The new consolidated document omits the references to the blue group and the Key Themes has had added 'The key themes and issues listed below have been identified on the basis that each would have been raised in at least two Forum workshops. This, however, is not an exhaustive list of all issues raised.'  We know of a few people who wasted time looking for the changes they expected to have been made in the final document. We have checked with the RWA and have been advised that there will not be a new consolidated document. A document that brings together the comments from the groups on the Tuesday of the Forum will be up on the RWA website soon, along with the two documents mentioned above, i.e. the submissions made before the Forum and the initial Issues papers.

Redfern Local Area Traffic management Study

We have mentioned previously that the City of Sydney is currently doing local area traffic management studies for that part of Redfern which is east of the railway line. There is still an opportunity to put your comments into the process about your street or issues around Redfern. What do you like about the streets? What concerns do you have about traffic (through traffic, speeding vehicles, accidents etc)? How much do you value vehicle accessibility (ie. blocking “through traffic” also constrains local access)? What do you believe are the public transport, pedestrian and cyclist issues (including bus stops, bus routes and bus service issues)? What type of traffic management devices do you consider are appropriate for the area (speed humps/raised thresholds; roundabouts; kerb extensions/footway widening; turn bans (no left turn or no right turn); road closures; one way streets; chicanes (angled slow point); shared pedestrian and traffic zone (10km/h speed limit)]? If you have comments to make about these issues in West or East Redfern then you can download the feedback form and put in your suggestions - Issues identification Redfern local Area Traffic Management (Word 36Kb).

The Parkway Proposal for a Green Pedestrian and Cycle Route from Redfern to the city via Chippendale

Some Chippendale residents have been working on a proposal for a green pedestrian and cycle route through Chippendale for some time. At a recent community meeting in Chippendale they made a presentation of the proposal and we have put the 761 Kb PDF of the Parkway Presentation up on the REDWatch site so everyone can see it. Additional background notes on the proposal are also on the website at The Parkway + the City’s draft cycle strategy as is a map showing how the proposal meshes with the City of Sydney’s proposed Bike Master Plan Council's proposed Bike Masterplan with Parkway imposed. Independently Col James from Sydney University has been trying to get interest in the use of Eveleigh Street as part of a bicycle and pedestrian link from Redfern to Chippendale and beyond – he even has a plan for a Cross Cleveland Street Tunnel! At a time when so much of what happens in our area is being taken over by the NSW Government in the interests of the State or the Metro Plan it is good to see people putting up creative suggestions on how our area can be improved. We encourage you to look at the proposal for the Parkway and make your suggestions.

CUB Public Meeting organised by the Minister of Planning – Tuesday 15th August 2006

A public meeting is being organised by the Minister of Planning over the CUB site for Tuesday 15th August 2006 6.30pm to 8:30pm at Room 2.4.29 University Technology Sydney (ground floor of building 2, access is through Tower 1). Given the Minister is looking to fast-track changes to the planning controls for the site, your feedback at this point in time is critical so that the Minister can understand how important this issue is.

Thanks to the Coalition Chippendale Community Groups for this information. They are putting out regular updates on matters of concern to Chippendale and you can get added to their email list by sending a request to communityworkingparty@yahoo.com.au . Members of the Coalition Chippendale Community Groups held a community meeting on 2nd August 2006 and a copy of the background sheet (MS Word 268Kb) can be downloaded from CUB Site Briefing Paper by CCCGs for Community Meeting . The Coalition is looking for community feedback on the paper and they are putting forward the feedback received to highlight concerns such as density and overdevelopment, loss of heritage, building height and scale along the perimeter and street set back, open space, traffic, parking and impact on local amenity particularly during the construction phase (including concerns about damage to the low rise heritage homes only metres from the site). The Coalition is concerned that the brewery site is being seen as part of Broadway rather than an integral and historic part of Chippendale and hence Chippendale’s character as a unique and wonderful low scale heritage village is likely to be badly impacted by the development. They are also concerned that the Minister’s process to date is not encouraging input from residents and building on the work that has earlier been undertaken.

The Marg Barry Memorial Lecture - Thursday 17 August 2006 3.30pm - “We Never had a Hotbed of Crime”

Each year, Regional Council invites a distinguished speaker to present their view of social issues in Inner Sydney. This year, they have invited Sue Rosen, historian, heritage consultant and author, who will present an oral history project she carried out in South Sydney. Sue conducted interviews and filmed a number of Inner Sydney characters about their life in the area. Regional Council wanted to present the idea that although its people did not have a great deal of wealth, the human support in the neighbourhoods helped people live positive lives. We think there may be a lesson in this for governments and services trying to improve the life of people in today’s Inner Sydney. Sue will discuss her book, “ We never had a Hotbed of Crime”, produced in association with the South Sydney Council that created an uninhibited, vivid, rich and humorous picture of life in the area.

The South Sydney Consortium of local NGO services will be launched, as well as refreshments and time to socialise from 5.00pm to 6.00pm at Redfern Town Hall 73 Pitt Street Redfern. More details including copies of the leaflet for the event can be obtained from http://www.innersydney.org.au/news/index.cfm?ArticleID=31 . RSVP by Friday 11th August Phone 9698 7690 or Email innerv@iinet.net.au .

State Plan

The NSW Government has released the Draft State Plan and is looking for community feedback. The State Plan “defines the goals and outcomes that the NSW Government and community together agree should shape public policy over the next 10 years. It is a plan for what the state government wants to achieve and it aims to be a clear guide for ongoing planning, co-operation and action within and across government agencies and between government and our partners in business, non-government organisations (NGOs) and local government. The consultation process will run for one month and will involve meetings with the community (selected at random), community leaders and local government leaders in locations across NSW. On August 25, the Premier will convene a meeting of major stakeholders to review the Draft State Plan.” This meeting will also be attended by Ministers and senior public servants. Additional meetings will be held with ethnic and Aboriginal communities. Geoff Turnbull and Kaye Mundine are two of the people from the Redfern area that we are aware of having been invited to meetings associated with the preparation of the Plan.

You can download a copy of the Draft State Plan and make comments on the draft at http://www.nsw.gov.au/stateplan/.

Debates on Future of Rail Heritage

Over the last couple of months we have reported that 3801 Limited has been lobbying to continue its lease on the 3801 steam train and if possible its use of the Large Erecting Workshop west of the ATP at South Eveleigh. In the draft RWA Built Environment Plan “The Large” is to be replaced by a 12 story building. In a media release on 31st July 2006 3801 Limited Calls on Government to renew Lease to Allow its ongoing Operations 3801 revealed that “The Board met with the RailCorp CEO last week. He offered an 18 month extension at our current premises with no guarantee of continued access to the 3801 engine or any ongoing rights to the building. These conditions would not be acceptable to any business, let alone a not for profit company which has run its business successfully for the people of NSW for 20 years.”

On 1st August the National Trust NSW issued a media statement National Trust urges steam railway workshops to be kept at Redfern. The National Trust statement said: The Trust has written to the Hon. Frank Sartor, Minister for Planning and Minister for the Redfern-Waterloo Authority, highlighting the importance of protecting and maintaining Eveleigh’s Large Erecting Shed which is of national significance and rare at a world level. It is the only solution for the long-term maintenance and operation of steam trains in the State of New South Wales.

Major rebuilding of steam locomotives is required periodically if these steam trains are to continue to operate at the same frequency as at present. The famous and much loved 3801 locomotive has travelled more than half a million kilometres in the past 20 years because of the ability to carry out major repairs. Consigning engines such as 3801 and the Power House Museum’s 3830 to distant museums will guarantee that such constant operation will no longer be possible or at best be short term. In its letter to Mr. Sartor the Trust stressed the training of skilled apprentices that has taken place at Eveleigh in restoring and rebuilding steam locomotives, their carriages and Rail Corp’s heritage fleet.

The Smithsonian Institute commented on Eveleigh in 1988: …“Workshops such as Eveleigh are a great rarity world wide and in view of the broad significance of the railway in the development of world civilization, and the concomitant role of the repair shop in the operation of any sizable railway system, it would appear essential to protect the Eveleigh facility if an accurate picture is to be preserved of the railway’s place in our culture.”

“The National Trust urges the retention of the workshops in the Large Erecting Shed at Eveleigh and a continuation of its role in training skilled apprentices and in restoring, rebuilding and major overhaul of our state’s steam engines and rolling stock,” said Ms Jackson.

As expected the NSW Government used the centenary celebrations of Central Station to make an announcement about rail heritage $20 Million Plan to conserve NSW Rail Heritage as collaboration urged over 3801. The announcement of some funding for the 3801 and a process to look at what happens with the train in the future was welcomed by 3801 Limited according to the ABC news Steam train operators welcome upgrade plan. “The plan will be delivered by a new Office of Rail Heritage that will oversee the conservation and display of our rail heritage assets and ensure that our broad and passionate groups of volunteers are recognised, valued and supported.” The Government will invest $20 million over five years in a Sustainable Rail Heritage Strategy. The announcement does not indicate directly what might happen with the rail heritage at Eveleigh or if there is scope under the plan for “The Large” to remain as part of the rail heritage as an alternative to it being replaced by the proposed extension to the Australian Technology Park.

The National Trust as part of the History Week program is organising a guided tour of some of the Eveleigh Rail Heritage on Thursday 21 September 2006 between 10-00am and 3.30pm and we will let you have further details when they are to hand.

South Sydney Herald August Edition Articles on REDWatch site

This month’s South Sydney Herald is on the REDWatch website and the 3.8MB file of the full edition can be downloaded from SSH August 2006 for those who have not seen it. Given the large size of the file we have again put some of the individual articles up on the REDWatch site that may be of special interest to Redfern Waterloo so they can be accessed as web pages. As usual the SSH has covered many of the top issues from the area over the previous month including Waterloo skates! about the new Waterloo Skate Park, Redfern business welcomes Channel 7 move to the ATP in Redfern, Future of Redfern School finally decided about manoeuvrings around the Indigenous Land Council’s purchase of Redfern School,  Carlton United Brewery Broadway residents meet the Minister covering a recent meeting over the CUB site and Souths Club stoush continues but things are looking up for the Rabbitohs. Other issues of concern to the area stories include pieces on problems in mental health services in the Have You Heard? Column, Is the NSW Government adequately monitoring boarding houses?, Are some Redfern Police officers failing Aboriginal citizens? and Welfare to Work issues for church agencies in which the position of various church agencies on the welfare to work changes are compared.

The SSH has renewed its call for NSW Government to take the people of Redfern Waterloo seriously with its front page Premier, Redfern awaits your visit in which it points out the Premier has not replied to the invitation to visit Redfern-Waterloo handed to him in March by a delegation of local residents. A report of Gary Moore’s presentation to REDWatch in Former RWA adviser expressed concern over board and community consultation raises issues about the RWA process as does an opinion piece by Anna Christie on the RWA consultation process in Whatever it takes. The SSH continues to also let people know about coming events in articles about Candlelight vigil to support Aboriginal people to save The Block concerning the Thursday 10th August rally and Local artists wanted for new Danks Street Festival Art Market in which artists are invited to submit photographs of their work, an outline of their experience as a visual artist, and contact details by 5pm Friday 25 August 2006 for the new market. Finally we had to put up the good news story Trevor ‘The Paperboy’ Davies takes a new shape at Mundine’s Gym which brings together Trevor’s push to lose weight and the services the gym on The Block offers to the Redfern Waterloo community. These are just some of the articles that can be found (with pictures) in the 3.8MB file of the full edition SSH August 2006.

The Great St Vincent’s Break In

While we are sure that most people will have seen it we can not let a mention of The great St Vincent's break-in go past without mention. One active member of the local community summed it up for us when they said “every so often you see people do something which has panache and makes a genuine political statement in an effective way, and just leaves a mile on your face. I've got to say that this is one of them. [It is] a great quote to stand on the wall of the church and clearly define what and whom this is about - with Papal backing. A heritage order should be placed on it as soon as possible. I don't know the people involved but if you do I would be pleased if you could pass this on for me with the simple statement that this is truly magnificent.” We have passed it on but we thought others might enjoy the comment as well.

Redfern Oval

The Draft Plan of Management has gone through Council and will now go out to community consultation in the near future. Details of the Draft Master Plan for Redfern Park can be found on the City of Sydney’s website at Redfern Park Upgrade. The full documents that went to Council can be downloaded from the following links:

We remain concerned that not all groups consulted about using the oval and the park will have the access they expect due to the need to maintain the surface and to close the oval off for games. This will be exacerbated by the lack of areas around the oval for training off the playing surface. We remain of the view that some realistic estimates of the amount of training / game time per week which would be available to the groups consulted and how this meshes with the amount of time different consulted groups would like to use the oval should be made available at the plan of management stage so everyone has a realistic idea up front of how competing interests will be handled.

When we did the last Update we carried details of the initial concerns expressed by Ian Thomson Our Park many of which we understand still continue. The South’s football club has subsequently also put out a statement RABBITOHS ENDORSE COUNCIL'S PLANS FOR REDFERN OVAL which we have also put up on the REDwatch website. The club has also issued a clarifying statement following Peter Holmes à Court’s comments at the Council Committee meeting which can be seen at http://www.souths.com.au/fanzone/viewnewsarticle.asp?ArticleID=1628.

Eveleigh Street Precinct parks - Proposed Artworks

Council has recently upgraded Hugo Street Reserve, Yellowmundee Park, Pemulwuy Park and the Redfern Community Centre park. Part of these works is the provision of community art for Hugo Street Reserve.

The City has nominated two artists, Bronwyn Bancroft and Dale Jones-Evans, through an interview and selection process to prepare a joint collaborative artwork proposal for installation at Hugo Street Reserve.

Through initial meetings with Council and many local and indigenous stakeholders the artists have submitted a proposal for community comment. Bronwyn's concept includes a painting of many figures which represent protection, working together and harmony, on panels erected along the adjacent rear property fences. Dale proposes to produce three metal laser-cut screens which merge the proposed artwork figures.

Plans and sketches of the proposed artwork are on display in the Redfern Community Centre until 19 August. Forms are available to write comments for consideration in the preparation of the final design. A further meeting will be organised for 2 September, 2006 to present the final artwork to the community. You are invited and encouraged to visit the Redfern Community Centre to view the artwork display and make comments on the forms provided. Any questions regarding the artwork can be made to Jeff Kerr, Project Manager on 9246, 7550 or jkerr@cityofsvdney.nsw.gov.au

City Talks now available on Podcast

City Talks are free talks presented by the City of Sydney and The Sydney Morning Herald designed to stimulate discussion on our urban environment. Transcripts of recent talks, on line audio and podcasts are now available for some recent talks including: Professor Ester Fuchs talk on July 25 2006 on A City for People - Lessons from New York and Professor Ken Maher’s talk on 20 June What makes cities great? So if you were interested in a recent City talk and missed it or want to check what was said you now can by visiting http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/podcasts/ .

Call for Redwater News Articles

Redwater News is a bi-monthly newsletter produced by the Redfern and Waterloo Neighbourhood Advisory Boards. You can see copies on the REDWatch website at http://www.redwatch.org.au/redw/localmedia/redwaternews. If you have any suggestions, events, articles etc please email Orna Marks the Housing Communities Assistance Program (HCAP) Redfern Waterloo Community Development Worker at hcap@the-factory.org.au.

Photo Voice

The Housing Communities Assistance Program (HCAP) is planning to run a Photo Voices project. Photo Voices is about hearing your concerns & ideas about living in social housing through photos. If you’re interested, intrigued or just want to find out more come along to The Factory 67 Raglan Street Waterloo Thursday 17th August 2:00pm – 4:30pm. RSVP by 15th August to Orna Marks hcap@the-factory.org.au.

Kids Rock the Block – Performers wanted

‘Rock the Block’-in May ’06- was a huge success and now it’s the kids turn to show their stuff. The Redfern Aboriginal Housing Company is organizing Kids Rock the Block as part of its redevelopment project and plan to show the world The Block’s creative spirit. Kids Rock the Block will be held on Saturday October 14 and have band stages and other performance areas, kids’ entertainment and kids entertaining! If you’re  16 or younger and perform in a band/solo; if you dance/have other performing skills … we want you. Contact the Aboriginal Housing Company to let them know you’re interested in performing and what you do. Call 96989249 or email lani@ahc.org.au.