In this Update:

[Please use the list of articles below to find what is of interest to you and jump directly to the story of interest.. We do not expect you to be interested in everything.]

RWA Built Environment Update

CarriageWorks – Continuation of Hours DA until 18^th March 2008

Frasers Reworking Concept Plan for CUB Broadway Site

CoS Redfern Business Precinct Survey – Survey return by Friday 28^th March

Elizabeth Street Land and Housing Corporation DA – Exhibition Closes 24^th March 2008

RWA DAs on Exhibition

What’s new on the RWA Website

The RWA’s State Plan Objectives – What would you have chosen?

Waterloo Green – Minister stickers Graffiti

South Sydney Interagency Meets

First Round of Local Action Plan Matching Grants

City Action on Homelessness

Redfern Legal Centre helping young tenants

In Living Memory – Photographs from the Aborigines Welfare Board

Living in Harmony - 8 March 2008 – 30 April 2008

City South Community Forum – Monday 17^th March 2008

Good Service mob at Redfern Community Centre - Tuesday 18 March 2008 9.30am-3.30pm

Screening of “Waterloo” with Tom Zubrycki – Thursday 20^th March 1pm at The Factory

HOPE VI and Chicago’s Public Housing ‘Transformation’ - Thursday 27th March 2008

Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage (Inquiry) – Submissions extended to 31^st March 2008

Mind Ya Arts Showcase – Friday 4^th April 2008

Local Heroes – Volunteer Awards – Nominations until 7^th April 2008

Dr Judith Stubbs at Waterloo Gathering – Time to Talk – 9:30 am – 3:00 pm Thursday 10^th April 2008

CoS Grant Applications – Close Monday 21 April 2008

Let's Talk Business - Seminar Series for small and medium sized businesses

Good Neighbourhood BBQs

In the Media

South Sydney Herald March 2008

Have your say – Summary of Current Consultations

Coming Events (look at the new local events entered on the REDWatch website that are not covered here)

RWA Built Environment Update

North Eveleigh Concept Plan - The Preliminary Application for North Eveleigh and the Director General’s Requirements (DGRs) still have not gone up on the Department of Planning Major Project website under Greater Metropolitan Area including Central Coast. The RWA expected DGRs last week but have been continuing to draw up the final Concept Plan based on what it expects the DGRs to require. The RWA is still hopeful of getting the Concept Plan submitted by the end of March so that it can go on public exhibition not long after this. Given the delay that there often is between when the DGRs are issued and when the Department adds the project to the public registry, it is conceivable that the RWA’s Concept Plan will be submitted before any of the details in the initial application have been made public. We will try and send out an email as soon as details are posted.

The last RWA Built Environment Ministerial Advisory Committee (BEMAC) was not briefed about the North Eveleigh Application as the DGRs had not been issued by the Department of Planning, so only sketch details were discussed. The BEMAC was told that RailCorp is retaining more of the site than was envisaged by the BEP and that the Concept Plan was consistent with the maximum floor space requirements of the BEP. The land is expected to go on sale later this year with the approved Concept Plan with settlement in early 2008 which will allow RailCorp to relocate heritage rolling stock. A 3D model will be put on display at Yaama Dhiyaan when the Concept Plan goes on exhibition. The RWA also indicated that significant heritage buildings on the site are to be adaptively reused and that one is proposed to be retained for community use.

Blacksmiths Shop & CarriageWorks - With the RWA approving the RWA’s DA for the Blacksmiths Workshop, the RWA is now finalising the tender for work on the site. There have been some delays due to title and lease issues, however it is expected the markets will be ready to operate in September – October 2008. The RWA advised it had been in discussions about the traffic issues around the CarriageWorks and that it would follow up the issues with council in light of the development of the Blacksmiths shop. The decision not proceed with the pedestrian bridge between CarriageWorks and parking at the ATP, due to the high cost of building across the active rail corridor, makes finding a parking and traffic solution for the CarriageWorks more difficult and is raising concern amoung residents that are being impacted by the CarriageWorks traffic and parking problems.

The Large Erecting Shop (LES) The BEMAC was advised that the LES remains in RailCorp ownership. It will come to the RWA if it is not required by RailCorp. RWA CEO Robert Domm said he had read the Friends of Eveleigh proposal for the LES but that it did not address how the proposal would be financed. It was his view that such issues needed to be addressed by those who wanted such a proposal considered. The ATP is proposing to undertake contamination testing on the ATP and within the Large Erecting Shop. We are aware following the BEMAC meeting that the proposal to drill within the LES is raising major concerns about potential damage it might cause to the Large because of its specialised construction. There are also practical issues in terms of how and where items moved out of the Large to allow for drilling would be moved to. Why drilling is necessary within the LES rather than along side the building is a bit of a mystery to LES watchers who have suggested that drilling should take place near RailCorp’s Endeavour Centre where diesel trains were serviced.

ATP New Buildings – Building D is completed, Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) have already completed most of its fit out and National Information Communication Technology Australia (NICTA) will be completing its fit out over the next three months. It looks like the space vacated in the ATP as a result of people moving into the new building will be taken up by existing tenants expanding. Some defect reactivation is happening on the new road works but there is no rush to commission them. Work has started on the Channel 7 building and the tender process for construction works is underway. The RWA has reported that there have been some resident complains about dust and noise from the work on the Channel 7 building but that RWA / ATP staff have been working to address the issues raised in the complaints.

Community Health Centre on Exhibition - The proposal for the new health centre is currently on exhibition.

Built Environment Plan Phase Two Delayed - The RWA BEMAC was also advised that the Built Environment Plan Phase Two would not be completed by the end of March as expected. Work was ongoing and would take a few more months. There has been concern raised by tenants about the lack of consultation with the community unlike at Bonnyrigg. The RWA and Housing NSW emphasised that the RWA’s Built Environment Plan Stage 2 was a planning process and not a development process. The RWA assured that there would be a lot of consultation before any redevelopment.

CarriageWorks – Continuation of Hours DA until 18^th March 2008

Two Development Applications have been on exhibition from the CarriageWorks. The first is for a change of use and fit out of Bay 21 in the CarriageWorks building from a car park to an art gallery (exhibited until 12 March 2008). This proposal is likely to create some concern given the traffic and parking problems that have resulted from the CarriageWorks operation. The second DA is for the continuation of the current CarriageWorks operating hours (exhibition until 19 March 2008). The initial approval was only until 31^st March 2008. There have been some concerns raised by residents about the CarriageWorks operation and this is the opportunity to make comment following the facilities first 15 months of operation. We were particularly interested in one of the DA documents Minutes: CarriageWorks-Residents (27 KB PDF) for meeting held with residents on January 6^th 2008. While this is a peak period for the Sydney Festival and possibly for resident inconveniences, early January is usually not the best time to hold a meeting aimed at getting maximum resident participation. The meeting was initiated by nearby residents who had concerns about the CarriageWorks impact on them but the meeting could not be held prior to Christmas. About ten local residents attended and were surprised to see their minutes included in the CarriageWorks DA. The full details of the DAs can be found on the RWA’s Development Proposals on exhibition webpage.

Taxis and buses illegally dropping off at the round-a-bout rather than going into the CarriageWorks drop off area and problems with parking are key concerns raised by residents. After a recent meeting to discuss the problems caused by CarriageWorks one resident said residents dared not go out at certain times when CarriageWorks operated as they could not find parking to unload shopping on their return. Some hope was held that the proposed walkway between ATP and the CarriageWorks would improve the problem but this has now been shelved due to the cost of building across the rail corridor. The feeling is that the new location just south of Redfern station will be too far for CarriageWorks patrons and that local parking problems will only worsen as activity around CarriageWorks increases. Residents are waiting to see if the RWA concept plan for North Eveleigh includes measures to address the growing problem. The pressure will be increased as the CarriageWorks needs expand its operations to become self-sufficient when the NSW Government ceases funding in 2010. In an interview with Sue Hunt, the CarriageWork’s director, the SMH recently reported in Full steam ahead as artists do the hard yards that:

To meet maintenance costs and fund arts programs once government funding is withdrawn, Hunt plans to commercially develop a 14,000 square metre space on the site adjacent to the performing arts complex. "What we've got here is prime real estate that could generate significant return," she said. "We hope it will be a creative community with CarriageWorks at its hub. We'll try to find tenants and developers who will help attract audiences to the area." To support the venue's artistic activity, the commercial hub will need to attract an annual income of about $2 million. Self-sufficient arts organisations are rare, and it will be a challenge to raise the necessary revenue by 2010. "If we bring it off, it will be the first time an Australian group has been able to do it," said Hunt. "I'm confident it could happen. We're sitting in an amazing location, and there's been a lot of interest."

Also on the topic of CarriageWorks funding the Courier group’s magazine Central Sydney’s article Runaway Train looks at the cost of CarriageWorks to tax payers and contrasts this to other local arts institutions struggling for basic funding. The article points out that: “To date Carriageworks has cost taxpayers $54.5 million, including the purchase of the site by Arts NSW and its fit out. This is more the double the $26 million the State Government plans to spend this year on cultural grants to arts organisations.”

Frasers Reworking Concept Plan for CUB Broadway Site

When Frasers met with residents after the purchase of the CUB Broadway site from Fosters, resident groups, including REDWatch urged them to revisit the approved Concept Plan to achieve the best possible outcome from the development. While Frasers talked about their desire for a landmark development with strong green credentials, they were reluctant to consider changes to the approved Concept Plan. At a recent meeting Frasers showed resident representatives some of the options now being considered, including a major rework of the Concept Plan. The combined Chippendale Community groups have reported on the meeting back to their members and are pleased that Frasers have listened to the feedback raised in the earlier consultations. Their comments can be found at Frasers Broadway - CCCG Update 17 March 2008. 

There are still concerns that government decisions have locked in high density on the site, on which Fraser’s purchase price was based and on which they must make their return. There is also concern that the development will not contain any affordable housing as a result of the government’s decision to take the allowance from the CUB site to fund the RWA’s affordable housing activities. The Affordable Housing contribution from the CUB site to the RWA might end up being close to $40m according to Frasers. If Frasers follow through with what they have shown residents we think they will be congratulated by the community for how they have transformed a Concept Plan with a lot of drawbacks into a much better development.

CoS Redfern Business Precinct Survey – Survey return by Friday 28^th March

The City of Sydney has asked Environmetrics to survey businesses in Redfern and a survey form is being distributed to business. The information will contribute to a Business Precinct Strategy aimed at facilitating growth of the precinct, and fostering better relationships and communication between the businesses, the local Business Associations and the City of Sydney. The survey asks about businesses and business views about the future of the Redfern business area. A Business Forum is also planned. If you are a business in Redfern Street & Regent Street area and you would like to be involved contact Gillian Savage at Environmetrics on 9954 0455. There has been some discussion about the need for the study to cover a larger area including Darlington and Waterloo but currently City of Sydney has confined the study to businesses in the Redfern and Regent Streets area.

Elizabeth Street Land and Housing Corporation DA – Exhibition Closes 24^th March 2008

The DA for the private development on Housing NSW (HNSW) land opposite the refurbished Redfern Oval covers 600-606 Elizabeth St, 3-5 Kettle St, 66-68 Walker St and 610-614 Elizabeth St in Redfern has gone on exhibition. The proceeds from this development on previously DoH land are to go towards offsetting the cost of the redevelopment of HNSW properties in the adjoining development. The DA follows from the earlier Master Plan and proposes to “demolish existing buildings on site and construct two five-storey buildings comprising of 149 residential apartments, 152m2 commercial/retail space, 130 basement car parking spaces and 70 bicycle parking spaces” at an estimated cost of work of $68,272,713. You can Click here to view full details... on the CoS website or see the documents at the CoS new Redfern Neighbourhood service centre at 158 Redfern Street Redfern. The photo montages give some idea of what is proposed Photo montage 14022008 01 ( PDF 145Kb) Photo montage 14022008 02 ( PDF 142Kb), Photo montage 14022008 03 (PDF 144Kb) and Photo montage 14022008 04 (PDF 187Kb).

RWA DAs on Exhibition

The RWA has two other DAs on exhibition they are:

• DA 027-02-08 - Installation of two illuminated business identification signs on the top south east and west side of Building D (NICTA building). Exhibition until 20^th March 2008
• DA 028-02-08 - Installation of business identification signage to Tower 1 and Tower 2 and fitout for a café on the ground floor including the provision of outdoor seating on the courtyard located on Lawson Square. Exhibition until 20^th March 2008.

The full details of the DAs can be found on the RWA’s Development Proposals on exhibition webpage.

What’s new on the RWA Website

There have been a number of recent changes on the RWA website.

The RWA site finally has a working search bar so you can now search text on the RWA site. Like the REDWatch website the search bar will not find text within PDF files, so you will still need to do a site search with Google or a similar engine to find text within PDF files. Of course if the PDF if an image or has been set up so you can not search it like the latest RWA Annual Report then no search engine will find what is in such documents.

The RWA web site has deleted Ms Jennifer Westacott from the listing of RWA Board Members. No replacement has been made so presumably the Minister is looking for a new Board Member.

The RWA has changed its contact person for Yaama Dhiyaan courses from Louise Wagner to Melinda Walker. The Yaama course now includes one week of off-site work experience in a commercial kitchen and the cost has dropped to $250. The Shangri-La Hotel has joined the list of Yaama partnerships with major hospitality employers. The function seating capacity of Yaahma has been increased from 120 to 150 and for cocktails from 150 to 200.

The RWA has also become a sponsor of the Sydney 2008 Metropolis Congress and added a link to its website.

The RWA has also updated its list of Aboriginal building companies (pdf ~77Kb) and rearranged some of pages in the development application and Redfern Waterloo Plan sections of the website.

On the ATP website the Annual Report 06/07 (4.4 MB PDF) has been added.

[We often get asked about how we monitor these changes. We use a free service from www.changedetection.com which monitors website changes and then emails us advise that a monitored site has changed. Through the report such as this one for one of the Yaama Dhiyaan pages www.changedetection.com/log/au/gov/nsw/redfernwaterloo/training_log.html we can view changes and see a page which compares the new site with the previous site highlighting additions and deletions.]

The RWA’s State Plan Objectives – What would you have chosen?

We neglected to mention, when we covered the RWA Annual Report, that one of the interesting items was that, as for all government initiatives, the RWA has had to define itself in terms of the NSW State Plan. This is of course a difficult choice for a multi faceted authority, but this is how they see themselves: “The RWA's Plan is assisting in achieving three major priorities of the NSW Government's comprehensive State Plan: Stronger Aboriginal communities through improved health and education outcomes; Ensuring NSW is open for business; and An improved urban environment”.

This sent us back to the NSW State Plan to see what were the options that the RWA had to choose from. We would have liked to have seen “Building Harmonious Communities” and “Opportunities and Support for the most Vulnerable” included on the list. You might like to go through the list of dot points below and compare what you would have chosen with the RWA’s selection.

Rights Respect and Responsibility

• Keeping people safe
• Building Harmonious Communities

Delivering Better Services

• Healthy Communities
• Students Fulfil their potential
• An effective transport System
• Customer Friendly Services

Fairness and Opportunity

• Strengthening Aboriginal Communities : Priority Improved health and education for Aboriginal people
• Opportunities and Support for the most Vulnerable
• Early Intervention to Tackle Disadvantage

Growing Prosperity Across NSW

• NSW: Open for Business
• Stronger Rural and regional Economies

Environment for Living

• Securing our Supply of water and Energy
• Practical Environmental Solutions
• Improved Urban Environments

Waterloo Green – Minister stickers Graffiti

Waterloo Green continues to be a focus for potential interdepartmental co-operation and resident demands that the government address the areas issues such as those reported in Action Needed Now. The Minister for Housing recently visited Waterloo on 12^th March 2008 to launch an initiative to investigate ways to crack down on illegal graffiti, including photographing graffiti 'tags' before painting over them. The pilot program will combat illegal graffiti in and around the Marton Building on Cope Street, Redfern. Under the new partnership, Housing NSW and Redfern Police will pursue anyone who is found to be responsible for graffiti attacks on Waterloo's Marton Building. Mr Brown encouraged local residents to report any illegal activity to the police. A review of the pilot program will be held at the end of June 2008. The full details of the Minister’s media statement can be found at Iemma Government Targets Illegal Graffiti in Waterloo. Under the trial, graffiti is to be “removed within 48 hours of identification”. Waterloo residents fear that they will need to wait until after the trial before Housing NSW will clean up other graffiti around Waterloo Green.

The Minister has also written to some Waterloo tenants providing some information on HNSW’s work with the RWA on “Stage 2 of the Built Environment Plan, which will focus on the planning controls that would facilitate the physical renewal of some of the public housing at Redfern and Waterloo”. The Minister says “I am not aware of any intention for any areas of public housing to be declared a State Significant Area for planning purposes.” The Minister’s letter also talks of the Plan being exhibited in March April and then going to cabinet. The RWA currently talks about it going to cabinet before exhibition to get sign off by Government and that it now will not be ready for a few months. The text of Minister Brown’s letter can be seen at Minister for Housing Letter on Waterloo Housing Issues.

South Sydney Interagency Meets

A wide range of agencies came together on 12^th March for the inaugural meeting of a re-formed South Sydney Interagency. Attendees listened to guest speaker Alison Peters the Director of NCOSS, who provided an update of government initiatives, especially what is being considered by Council of Australian Government. Agencies also had the opportunity to brief others on their activities and a number of linkages were made between agencies on common areas of interest. There was also a trading table to display information.

Before amalgamation of City of Sydney and South Sydney councils, South Sydney community organisations met regularly. Since then many organisations attend separate interagency meetings that focus on specific program areas – e.g. children, youth and aged care, but there has been no forum to share what was happening across the whole community sector. Community development workers in South Sydney began meeting in 2007 to support the revival of the South Sydney Interagency. The Inner Sydney Regional Council offered to resource the Interagency meetings. South Sydney Interagency will fill this hole to allow all services in South Sydney discuss how they relate to each other and the community. It will be a forum for people from services and organisations in South Sydney who are interested and involved in social issues. To be involved the services and organisations must have the following characteristics: Be located in South Sydney or providing services in the area; Respecting and upholding the aims and values of the South Sydney Interagency; Involved in promoting social justice and equity for local residents. The Interagency will meet four times a year. The next meeting is scheduled for 11^th June 2008. For further details contact Faye Williams – Inner Sydney Regional Council for Social Development regcouncil@iinet.net.au Ph 9698 7461.

The re-formation of the South Sydney Interagency comes after the clear failure of the RWA to deliver the co-operative approach between government and non-government human service agencies recommended in the review of human services. There is such mutual distrust between the RWA and many local agencies that dialogue, let alone co-operation, is currently not possible. The re-formation of the South Sydney Interagency is one of a number of initiatives that indicate human services agencies are getting back to formulating their own ways addressing the issues of importance to the communities that they serve, following the RWA’s failure to deliver a co-operative approach to addressing community concerns.

First Round of Local Action Plan Matching Grants

The first Local Action Plan Matching Grants, totalling $46,319 have been decided by council. This new program is designed to enable local communities to undertake projects with council support where the community contributes time and resources which are matched by Council. This programme is based on a similar programme in Seattle which has seen tens of thousands of people who participated in 2.500 community projects and invest more than $30 million worth of their own time, energy, skills, materials and cash in community projects which has significantly strengthened local communities. Details of the successful applicants in the first round can be found at on the CoS website’s Matching Grants Program.

City Action on Homelessness

We thought this extract from Clovers eNEWS of Friday 22 February 2008 about the City's Homelessness Strategy 2007-2012 was worthwhile passing on given homelessness in Redfern Waterloo.

“The City's Homelessness Strategy 2007-2012 sets an ambitious target to end chronic homelessness by 2017. Despite the number of services trying to help this group, there has been limited success because they have high levels of need, complex problems, and have often lived on the streets for long periods.

The City is working with the NSW Department of Community Services and Housing NSW on a new project to address chronic homelessness by providing housing with ongoing, coordinated support. The "Complex Needs Coordination Project" is based on a successful international model that enables homeless people to remain in stable housing, with improved health and wellbeing.

Housing NSW will lease 30 properties for clients of the project, with nine other agencies signed up, including the Office of the Protective Commissioner; Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care; health services; homelessness services; NSW Police; and the Probation and Parole Service…

The strategy also included a new Public Space Liaison Officer. Since taking up the position in June last year, Mike Fish has worked cooperatively with rough sleepers, residents and organisations to solve problems and improve amenity, receiving positive feedback.

Other new initiatives include an online training resource for people who volunteer for homelessness services and an updated training and information program for police. 

I thank all of the City team who have made us a leader in the provision of homelessness services. I particularly thank Felicity Reynolds who has worked on the City's homelessness strategy and projects since 2002, but leave us soon to for a new role as CEO of the Mercy Foundation.”

Further information on the city's homelessness services can be found at www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Community/HomelessnessServices/ and the Lord Mayoral Minute at www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Council/MeetingsAndCommittees/2008/Council/180208.asp

Redfern Legal Centre helping young tenants

With the start of a new university year and a tight accommodation market it is timely to report that a media release from the NSW Office of Fair Trading Redfern Legal Centre helping young tenants is encouraging tenants to familiarise themselves with the Redfern Legal Centre’s “The Share Housing Survival Guide” which is available at www.rlc.org.au/sharehousing. The guide provides up-to-date information about share housing laws in NSW and will be promoted by targeted distribution of 30,000 free promotional postcards funded by Fair Trading Tenants’ Advice and Advocacy Funding Program.

In Living Memory – Photographs from the Aborigines Welfare Board

In Living Memory, the State Records Gallery exhibition of photographs from the Aborigines Welfare Board, was highlighted in the media and at public screenings to mark the official apology to the Stolen Generations on 13 February 2008. Andrew Meares, Chief Photographer at the Sydney Morning Herald, collaborated with the exhibition team to create an audio slideshow of images and interviews for the Herald’s website coverage of the apology. The Herald recorded 100 000 visits to the online slideshow in its first week. The 5-minute show includes Aborigines Welfare Board images from the exhibition and interviews with senior members of the community, Cecil Bowden, Nancy Hill-Wood, Christine Blakeney and Bill Hipkin, who reflect on the impact Bomaderry, Cootamundra and Kinchela children's homes had on their lives. The City of Sydney and Premier’s Department rescreened the slideshow as part of community commemorations they co-hosted on the day of the apology at Redfern Community Centre and Martin Place. The audio slideshow is still accessible via the Herald’s multimedia section: http://www.smh.com.au/multimedia/2008/national/in-living-memory/start.html

Living in Harmony - 8 March 2008 – 30 April 2008

Harmony Day falls on 21 March 2008 and coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  Harmony Day began in 1999 and more people take part each year. For the past few years, the City has been hosting the Living in Harmony program to mark Harmony Day and to celebrate the City's cultural diversity. The program has grown bigger and better every year. In December 2007, the City developed its draft Cultural Diversity Strategy which is currently on public exhibition. The Strategy recognises that the City's cultural diversity contributes to the social, cultural and economic development of the City. It supports initiatives that promote understanding and harmony between and within our diverse community including our commitment to host the Living in Harmony program as the City's annual multicultural event. For full details visit Living in Harmony - Event Details. Activities include Peace Song Tapestries Concert 20 March, Growing Peace Forum 10 April, Seniors Week Ball 8 April, Multicultural Art Competition Exhibition 21 April, Chinese Cultural Day 15 April, Cross Cultural Tours March & April, "Living In Harmony" Cultural Experiences 26 March and Cross Cultural Workshops 30 April.

City South Community Forum – Monday 17^th March 2008

The City South Community Forum covers Alexandria, Beaconsfield, Green Square Rosebery, St Peters and Zetland and provides an opportunity to find out what is happening n the area, including Development Applications, Green Square update, City Plan update and Sustainable Sydney 2030 update. The Forum is being held at The Green Square Community Facility, 3 Joynton Avenue, Zetland on Monday, 17 March 2008 6.00pm to 8.30pm. For more information see City South Community Forum - Monday 17 March.

Good Service mob at Redfern Community Centre - Tuesday 18 March 2008 9.30am-3.30pm

The Good Service mob will be visiting Redfern Community Centre 29 Hugo Street, Redfern to talk about free services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. They will give you information on what to do if you’re having problems with • banks, credit cards and loans • businesses, contractors & consumer rights • discrimination • electricity, gas and water companies • federal government agencies (Centrelink, taxation) • legal issues • state government agencies (housing, police, child protection, community services, correctional centres) • telephone, mobile and internet companies

Have a yarn over a free lunch and after lunch in the afternoon agencies will be available to discuss individual enquiries. RSVP/enquiries: Rose Gordon, Indigenous Project Officer, Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW Phone (02) 8218 8221 roseg@ewon.com.au

Screening of “Waterloo” with Tom Zubrycki – Thursday 20^th March 1pm at The Factory

“Waterloo” is an historical account of the 1970s battle by residents of this inner Sydney suburb to save the area from slum clearance and redevelopment by public housing authorities. In the early 70s the state government initiated a massive scheme to pull down inner city terraces (slums) to build the new public housing estates that the government now wants to redevelop. “Waterloo” sets out to understand the residents fight-back in terms of the history of the suburb itself: The poverty and overcrowding at the turn of the 20^th century, and the impractical, idealistic solutions proposed by the planners. It also looks at Waterloo in the context of urban housing struggles in Sydney: the anti-eviction campaigns of the 30s, the rise of the Resident Action movement in the late 60s and the alliance it formed with building unions resulting in the now world famous Green Bans. In the process the film reveals the history of the Housing Commission and the inner city Labor machine, prompting questions about the planning process, community involvement and bureaucratic accountability. How did the Housing Commission, a public housing authority set up by the State Labor Government in the 1940s, get to the stage of evicting workers to build more public housing? For more details about the screening contact Mike at The Factory Community Centre, 67 Raglan Street Waterloo on 9698 9569.

HOPE VI and Chicago’s Public Housing ‘Transformation’ - Thursday 27th March 2008

HOPE VI and Chicago’s Public Housing ‘Transformation’ Launched in 1992, the $5 billion HOPE VI (Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere) program represented the most ambitious urban redevelopment effort in the US history. It sought to replace distressed public housing projects with redesigned mixed-income housing and provides housing vouchers to enable some of the original residents to rent apartments in the private market. The City of Chicago has been the most vigorous participant in HOPE VI and has decommissioned or demolished around 20,000 dwellings in the last decade. New ‘mixed income’ developments currently being built by the private sector are expected to provide homes for around 15000 of these households under ‘right of return’ contracts.

Paul Fischer, Emeritus Professor of Politics at Chicago’s Lake Forest College, has long been involved as a researcher and commentator in debates and struggles around the future of public housing. He was Chair of Public Housing Group, Metropolitan Planning Council of Greater Chicago in the early years of HOPE VI, a consultant to the US Dept of Housing and Urban Development on the famous ‘Cabrini Green’ project, and worked with the Chicago Housing Authority on developing procedures for families leaving high rise public housing developments. More recently Professor Fischer has been critical of the implementation of Chicago’s Transformation project, and is working, in voluntary capacity, with Housing Bronzeville, a community-based organization on Chicago’s South Side that is trying to bring more affordable housing to the area undergoing redevelopment.

On Thursday 27^th March UWS will host a seminar given by Emeritus Professor Paul Fischer on HOPE VI and Chicago’s Public Housing ‘Transformation’ on Thursday 27th March at 11.00 am in Building 1, Room 1.114 at UWS Bankstown Campus, Bullecourt Ave, Milperra. A light lunch will be available for those who can stay after Prof Fischer’s presentation RSVP: Julia Dunn (02) 9772 6482 Email: j.dunn@uws.edu.au.

Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage (Inquiry) – Submissions extended to 31^st March 2008

The Upper House Inquiry has again extended its deadline for submissions until Monday, 31 March 2008. The March Public Hearings were held in Kempsey, Dubbo and Nowra.

Mind Ya Arts Showcase – Friday 4^th April 2008

This showcase workshop will bring together writers, performers, dance, musicians and visual media artists to collaborate, share ideas, develop new projects, and show how to make a difference to communities through art. The workshop is for people involved in Community Engagement and Community Development work, who use or want to explore artistic methods of a variety of arts mediums as tools to engage the wider community. Interactive workshop using a mix of adult learning techniques e.g. presentations with Q&A, case studies presentations, brain storming discussions, displays of previous work etc The workshop will be facilitated by various community artists that the factory has worked with over recent years within the Redfern and Waterloo area and other suburbs including examples of work within the UK. Facilitators will cover topics such as use of film, book productions, food projects, events, community mosaic projects, photo projects - to mention but few. When Friday 4th April 2008 9:30 am – 3:00 pm at the Factory Community Centre, 67 Raglan Street, Waterloo, NSW. There is no registration fee, but numbers are limited, so please register beforehand so we can arrange catering and prepare enough resources. You can register by emailing Mike on info@the-factory.org.au or Telephone: 9698 9569.  (Please register by Friday 28th of March 2008)

Local Heroes – Volunteer Awards – Nominations until 7^th April 2008

After a successful launch last year the volunteer awards are back. For nomination forms to nominate your local Redfern Waterloo heroes for the volunteer awards contact the HCAP worker at the Factory Community Centre on 96989569.

Dr Judith Stubbs at Waterloo Gathering – Time to Talk – 9:30 am – 3:00 pm Thursday 10^th April 2008

This ‘open space’ event is aimed at bringing together Human Service providers from both Government and Non-Government Agencies alongside community activists/ volunteers, local residents, who have a common interest in building a stronger and safer community.  The event hopes to kick start a conversation about the Future of Community Engagement within Waterloo and it environs. The workshop will be facilitated by the HCAP community development worker Michael Shreenan and other local community workers.

The Day will be opened by key note speaker Dr Judith Stubbs. Judith has almost 20 years experience in a diverse range of areas including social planning, social and economic impact assessment, urban renewal, and community consultation and participation. Judith conducts research and publishes on a wide range of issues including urban social justice, public housing renewal, affordable housing, and impacts of an aging society. Her recent work includes developing participatory research models with people in public housing estates, and in developing the community renewal and consultation strategies for the Bonnyrigg Estate PPP. She is Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at City Futures UNSW, and at the Social Justice and Social Change Research Centre UWS.

The gathering will be held at The Factory Community Centre, 67 Raglan Street, Waterloo, on Thursday 10th April 2008 from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. There is no registration fee, but numbers are limited, so please register beforehand so we can arrange catering and prepare enough resources. You can register by emailing Mike on info@the-factory.org.au or Telephone: 9698 9569.  (Please register by Friday 28th of March 2008).

CoS Grant Applications – Close Monday 21 April 2008

The City of Sydney has opened its applications for its various grants programmes until Monday 21^st April 2008. Applications will be received in the following categories - Business Support Program, Community Services Grants Program, Cultural Grants and Sponsorships Program, Environmental Grants Program, Heritage Grants Program and Local Community Grants Program.

Let's Talk Business - Seminar Series for small and medium sized businesses

The City of Sydney is running a Business Seminar Series titled Let’s Talk Business, covering a range of key topics critical to small and medium sized businesses. The seminars cost $20 each or $65 for all. For bookings, call 02 9089 7693 or click here to book online. The seminars in the series are:

• Seminar One - Your Business. Your City. Your Future. Clover Moore and Simon Reynolds 6pm – 8.00pm, Tuesday 25 March, Customs House, Circular Quay
• Seminar Two - Marketing Matters - 6pm – 8.00pm, Monday 28 April, Glebe Town
• Seminar Three - Technology Today - 6pm – 8.00pm, Tuesday 27 May, Paddington Town Hall
• Seminar Four - Connect with People and Build Relationships - 6pm – 8.00pm, Tuesday 24 June, Redfern Town

Good Neighbourhood BBQs

A series of community BBQs featuring live music and children’s activities are planned for the City South area to provide you with safety advice on how to better secure your home, and information on events and activities taking place in your area. It is also a chance to meet Council safety officers and local police. Come along and meet your neighbours! For more information call: City of Sydney: Dominic 9265 9954 or Billy 9265 9389 Redfern Police: Suzie 8303 5127

• CHIPPENDALE Sunday 30 March, 11.00am – 2.00pm Peace Park, Buckland Street
• WATERLOO Wednesday 2 April, 3.00pm – 5.00pm Waterloo Green, Raglan Street
• ZETLAND Sunday 6 April, 11.00am – 2.00pm Joynton Park, Gadigal Ave
• DARLINGTON Wednesday 9 April, 3.00pm – 5.00pm Redfern Community Centre, Hugo Street
• ALEXANDRIA Sunday 13 April, 11.00am – 2.00pm Alexandria Park, Buckland Street

In the Media

There have been a lot of media coverage linked to Redfern Waterloo since our last update. ‘Central’ ran a feature Ready to Rock - Redfern's red carpet ride of the MTV awards coming to Sydney with front page photo of RWA CEO Robert Domm with guitar and train. The same issue ran stories on Waterloo Green Action Needed Now and Whistle Blows on Rail History about the Friends of Eveleigh proposal for the Large Erecting Shop. The central is looking for peoples’ comments on the FOE proposal for the LES. [Recent comments about the FOE proposal can also be found in the RWA Built Environment Update report above].

Hillsong, who presently operate out of Waterloo, have been in the news over their lobbying activities over their Rosebery DA in Living on a Prayer. The Central also reported Hillsong’s denial of making political contributions which have been declared by political parties. Central also carried letters from a Rosebery resident against the development and from Heffron MP Kristina Keneally saying the decision is up to Clover Moore to decide as part of the [NSW Government controlled] Central Sydney Planning Committee. You can see these items in Hillsong Development Donations and Issues..

The Sydney University Settlement had its DA for improvement work at the community centre approved by the relevant council committee and the entire council but not without continuing opposition as was reported in the SMH Mural's resurrection opens scars and Central Mural to Return.

Central also reported that Redfern Stadium to Benefit Entire Community but this drew a passionate disagreement in a letter from Paul Dorron in Stadium Stoush. The CoS - Proposed Redfern Oval Licence Agreement is on exhibition until Thursday 3 April.

The Aboriginal Housing Company’s problem with finding $60,000 to pay for their project to be assessed by the Department of Planning was covered in ‘Nothing will stop us’

Finally our attention was caught by a recent Australian article Union helps build new hope about the success of the CFMEU’s Koori Job Ready Course and how the CMFEU is pushing for such courses to be rolled out nationally by the new Federal Government. The human interest aspect of the article focused on course participant Chris Davis, who also featured in the South Sydney Herald article Broad support for Indigenous construction course. One article is written from the CFMEU’s perspective and the other from the RWA’s. They both agree that Koori Job Ready Course is a good thing. For those who are confused about the relationship between the CFMEU and the RWA over the course you may find the following South Sydney Herald articles from 2007 useful Union and RWA build community and Building industry mentor proud of Indigenous achievements.

South Sydney Herald March 2008

The March South Sydney Herald is out SSH March 2008 (2.6 MB PDF) with a number of stories about what has been happening in the area over the last month. The SSH reports on the RWA CEO’s meeting with some local businesses in Progress, not panic, for Darlington business with speculation on Woolworths’ interest in the North Eveleigh site and on the coming MTV awards in Redfern.

One of their big stories was coverage of the Federal Government’s Apology. The SSH reported Apology draws tears, offers hope, looks at Human rights and the national apology and reports On the issue of compensation as well as on the anti-intervention protest in To Canberra, towards Reconciliation. The rededication of Mum Shirl’s seat as part of the Redfern Street upgrade is covered in Saint of Redfern remembered ‘Mum’ Shirl (1924-1998).

Trevor Davies covers a number of local issues in his column Have You Heard - The Fast News March 2008 (including misquoting the last RWIU update about the Dry Alcohol Centre planned for Redfern Waterloo). Tony Pooley and Leanne Fraser outline their Redfern Wish List 2008. The SSH also covers the launch of the new Village to Village Bus in More than transport - Launch of another free shuttle bus and the birthday of Waterloo resident Lev Gudeyskiy in From Russia to Randwick: 100 years.

In news from surrounding areas the SSH reports on Hillsong’s Rosebery DA in Residents up in arms over Hillsong and Erskineville’s opposition to Woolworths in The Erko supermarket debate. In sport the SSH reports on Ben Cousin’s visit to Eveleigh St in Mundine and his Cousins and that the South Sydney Rabbitohs give the Centenary year: plenty to cheer about.

Have your say – Summary of Current Consultations

Below we have listed consultations currently open for community input and provided a link for further information: 

• CoS - City South Community Forum - Monday 17 March.
• RWA - CarriageWorks Operating Hours DA - Until 19th March 2008
• RWA - Building D NICTA Building Signage - Until 20th March 2008
• RWA - Former TNT Tower 1 & 2 signage, fit out and ground floor cafe DA - Until 20th March 2008
• CoS - Elizabeth Street Land and Housing DA - Until 24th March 2008
• CoS Redfern Business Precinct Survey – Survey return by Friday 28th March 2008
•  CoS - Draft Ecologically Sustainable Development, Development Control Plan - Until Monday 31 March.

• CoS - Proposed Redfern Oval Licence Agreement - Until Thursday 3 April

• CoS - Chippendale, Camperdown, Darlington, West Redfern and North Newtown Urban Design Study – Draft recommendations and feedback form.
• CoS - Sustainable Sydney 2030 - What kind of city do you want Sydney to be in 2030?

• UWS - Backpacker Research – Online survey for residents and tourists.