Local member for Heffron, Kristina Keneally, says there has been an explosion of residual dwellings in Sydney’s south-west and the State Transit Authority must meet the demand for public transportation.

“The STA needs to cater more for those people working daily in the city, starting early every morning. The 301, 370 and 343 could all be greatly improved,” says Keneally.

The 308 service travelling from Marrickville Metro shopping complex to Circular Quay, is the only option residents of the area have to reach the city or nearby suburbs via public transport. Local resident, Alana Murphy, says the 308 is never on time, is always overcrowded and runs far too infrequently to meet the needs of people in the area. “On peak hour services, the bus becomes full almost at the start of the route and passengers further along are left behind because the driver can’t fit them in. Cabs are the only alternative - which many people can’t afford,” Murphy says.

Currently most of the services in Sydney’s south-west do not run after 7PM on weekdays and have a limited service on weekends or none at all. “On weekends there is one 308 bus an hour, which makes overcrowding even worse than it is on weekdays. If the bus service is made more reliable, people will use it,” Murphy said.

The 352 Marrickville to Bondi run is a very popular service and one of the only buses to run the full length of Cleveland St and to surrounding suburbs without travelling through the congested CBD. Newtown resident, Paula O’Sullivan, says the service has been successful but it can be improved so that it benefits the entire community. “The issue is not overcrowding but the frequency of the service that is available. Currently the service on weeknights ends fairly early and on weekends there is no service available at all,” says O’Sullivan.

Jill Lay, ALP Secretary for Newtown, has begun a petition to bring about changes to the 352 in order to make the service more practical and assist people who work outside of traditional office hours. “We are seeking the start of a service on weekends and extended running times on weeknights. Support for these changes has been very strong within the community,” Lay said.

The petition will be finalised in the next four weeks and than presented to Carmel Tebbut.

A petition is also being prepared to improve the 311 bus service from Elizabeth Bay to Eddy Avenue.

Greens Councillor Chris Harris says the reduction of the 311 service is discouraging people from using public transport and congesting the inner city with traffic and pollution.

“We want Sydney to promote the use of public transport and make the bus service reliable for people to use regularly,” Harris said.

Originally the 311 was a half hour service but it has since been downgraded to a 45 minute service which no doubt had an affect on the number of people choosing to use the bus. “If you want people to use the bus you do not reduce the service - it is that simple”, Harris said.

Media Officer for State Transit Authority Tony Melham is unavailable for comment at the present

Many residents have contacted me to express their views on the future of the reserve at Marian Street, which the draft Redfern Waterloo Built Environment Plan designates for an 18-storey building.

I agree with the residents’ concerns that open space is a valued commodity in the inner city, and their sadness at the potential loss of this reserve. 

In my submission to the Draft BEP, I urged the Redfern Waterloo Authority to ensure that the draft BEP reflects residents’ desires to have access to appropriate open space within Redfern and Waterloo and in particular in the Marian Street area.  

Last month I took up an invitation from a resident in the Watertower building to visit Marian Park and discuss the concerns residents have about the loss of the park and about the proposed use of the site – that is, the 18-story building – in the Draft BEP.

Now I have spoken before about the pressing need in South Sydney for active recreation space.  I have noted that in the City of Sydney north of Cleveland Street there are five swimming pools and leisure centres whilst south of Cleveland Street residents have nothing.

I will remain a strong advocate for active recreation facilities in South Sydney.  But in this case I am convinced that the Government needs to listen to local residents in their desire for local, usable, passive public open space.  

Marian Street Park is a small oasis in an otherwise busy, hectic, noisy and developed precinct.  With Gibbons Street and Regent Street immediately to its east, Redfern Station to its north and ATP to its south, Marian Street Park provides approximately trees and space for passive recreation in this otherwise highly urbanised area.

But in the end what has convinced me the most is the passionate pleas from local residents in the Watertower building.  Their letters and emails, and the site visit, demonstrate to me how important this park is to the local community.

That’s why I am writing to the Minister for Redfern and Waterloo to ask that he to listen to their concerns and to use the BEP to zone Marian Street Park as open space.  This will ensure that the park remains a park.  This would give local residents certainty.  I also ask the Minister to develop a plan for the future maintenance of the park to ensure the park remains a valuable asset for the local community.

The Iemma Government will spend over $20 million to provide much-needed affordable and public housing in the Heffron electorate:

-$7.94 million to commence construction of 11 new family homes, 14 new pensioner units in Waterloo and 15 new community housing dwellings in Botany,

-$200,000 to complete the construction of a further 14 pensioner units in Waterloo,

-$450,000 on planning works for future construction, and

-$4.76 million on major upgrading works on public housing in the local area

This is a total of $13.36 million from the 2006/07 Housing Budget in the Heffron electorate to provide housing assistance and to support the ongoing implementation of the Governments Reshaping Public Housing reforms announced last year.

On top of that, $7 million will be spent by City West Housing at Green Square to develop more affordable housing.

The 2006/07 housing budget demonstrates the Iemma Governments strong commitment to the future of affordable and public housing.

This year the Iemma Government is providing an additional $269.78 million over and above its obligations under the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement. This includes enhancement funding of $520,000 to be provided to the Community Housing sector to provide an additional 50 units of support accommodation for people with a mental illness under the Housing and Support Initiative (HASI).

The Draft Built Environment Plan rezones the block so that only 30 homes can be built rather than the 62 provided in the Pemulwuy Project.

“The Pemulwuy Project promotes mixed use of the block and includes plans for affordable family homes, a public civic space and commercial area, artist markets, a student hostel, a sports facility and an Indigenous business college. For six years a distinguished coalition of Indigenous leaders, community activists and internationally respected urban and social planners has worked hard to develop the initiative. State Government bureaucrats even attended project workshops.”

“With one stroke of a pen this innovative development has seemingly been abandoned. I call upon the community to use the upcoming consultation period to urge the Minister to re-think his position and give Pemulwuy the consideration it deserves.” said Cr. Firth.

The local churches are supporting the Pemulwuy Project. “We are impressed by the fact that the Pemulwuy Project has, as an intrinsic part of its design, a built-in system of support for people. This support is less likely to be there if Aboriginal people are spread around the area,” commented Rev. Dorothy McRae McMahon.

She went on to say that the New South Wales Ecumenical Council, through its Social Justice Committee, is also concerned for the well-being of the Aboriginal people related to The Block. After discussions by the Committee with the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, it has become clear that the Aboriginal issues associated with The Block have been taken out of his jurisdiction and handed over to the Redfern Waterloo Authority. The Ecumenical Council hopes to initiate discussions with the Authority shortly, in an effort to promote a creative solution to any impasse, which may lie between the Aboriginal Housing Company and the Government.

Rev. McRae McMahon suggested that, “Given that the Leader of the Opposition has already done so, the Premier should come and talk to the Housing Company and have a look at The Block for himself.”

The member for Heffron Kristina Keneally responded to Cr. Firth’s statement by saying, “There are many views in the Indigenous community about the future of The Block. The government is committed to a sustainable future for Redfern and Waterloo by providing jobs and opportunities for local people. That is what the built environment plan seeks to deliver.”

A spokesperson for Minister Sartor said, “the Minister has made his position clear; that is that 62 units are not sustainable.” Having said that, this report has been approved by cabinet for community consultation. It’s not set in concrete. The Minister is open to being convinced.

It has come to my attention, that recently in Parliament, you responded to Elizabeth Farrelly’s SMH article [a response you repeated in your E-Herald 3 March 2006 Edition]. In particular the AHC’s interest is in relation to issues you raised regarding the Block and the Pemulwuy Project; and my CEO Michael Mundine has asked me to write to you.  

I would like to take this opportunity to make two points, in keeping with the spirit of setting the record straight. Firstly, in the six years that I have been involved with the AHC’s Pemulwuy Project, for the life of me, I can not recall a single occasion where you have made inquiries with the AHC about the Project or anything for that matter in relation to the Block. Clearly then, wherever you are getting your information from it isn’t from the AHC, and considering we are the proverbial horse’s mouth, I’m concerned that the quality of your sources are somewhat poor. In contrast, Elizabeth Farrelly has made a point to visit the AHC on many occasions, on her own accord, for updates and briefings as to the progress of the Project. Consequently, I’m inclined to consider at this point in time Ms Farrelly’s views on these issues are more objective, and considerably more informed than yours. I offer the opportunity to correct this disparity of knowledge, and invite you to visit our office for a briefing on the Pemulwuy Project.       

My second point is regarding your claim that you “knew of many local Aboriginal people and groups who had concerns, or just did not support the Aboriginal Housing Company's proposal”. I have to tell you that gave us a good laugh here in the office, because Ms Kenneally, the bought opinions of Abo-crats on the NSW Government payroll are not worth the 30 pieces of silver your Government paid for them. On the other hand if there are genuine trepidations with individuals in the Aboriginal community I’m pleased to address them with each individual concerned. If these people actually exist kindly forward my contact details to them and extend my invitation to be briefed on the Pemulwuy Project.    

The Pemulwuy Project represents a good balance of high quality affordable housing, available for homeownership, and economic and education opportunities for Aboriginal families. The Project has been recognised internationally as best practice for its social planning and crime prevention strategies. The Project will not require a single cent of State Government money. Most importantly the Pemulwuy Project is an Aboriginal community driven initiative and not just another government plan forced on the community.  

Realistically, there is no group or community in the world that can claim 100% consensus on every issue every time [case in point: the Australian Labour Party] so why should the Redfern Aboriginal communities be any different? I’m sure you would agree that if the ALP was required to achieve 100% consensus on every issue before proceeding with a decision, your government would come to a grinding halt.

I await your response to my invitation. And I look forward to meeting with you soon.

Regards, Peter Valilis | Project Director

P.S. I have CC this letter to Elizabeth Farrelly; and REDWatch for distribution through their network, could you also please distribute it to your mailing list network?

Elizabeth Farrelly’s article referred to above was The reality behind the Redfern plan: a boon for the big end of town and Kristina Keneally's response in Parliament is contained at the end of a statement about Redfern Development .

Yesterday I joined Minister for Redfern and Waterloo, Frank Sartor, at the Eveleigh Railyards to release the draft Built Environment Plan for public comment.  The plan details the Government's blueprint for 444,000 square metres of new employment space and 2,000 new dwellings.

This plan is the third and final element of Stage One of the Redfern Waterloo plan to promote social and economic revitalisation.  The Built Environment Plan complements the Human Services Plan to streamline services — government and non-government — in the area and the Employment and Enterprise Plan to create 18,000 new jobs.

The Built Environment Plan shows how and where those jobs will be provided — by regenerating strategic, largely state-owned sites to establish a new Town Centre around Redfern Railway station as a hub for community and commercial activity.

I know that many local residents have been interested, and anxious, about what the State Government intended to do with the state-owned sites, such as the former Redfern Police Station and the former Court building.  I believe this plan shows that the Government's aim is to provide jobs and opportunity for the local community.

There are several ways residents can learn more about the plan, or provide feedback, including:

• going to the RWA's website at www.redfernwaterloo.com.au
• phoning the RWA's office on 9202 9100 and ask to be mailed a copy
• emailing your postal details to redfernwaterloo@rwa.nsw.gov.au
• attend the RWA's information sessions: between 4 pm - 5 PM, Monday to Friday, 27 Feb to 10 March at Redfern Waterloo Authority, Level 11, Tower 2, 1 Lawson Square, Redfern
• register your interest to participate in the RWA's focus groups by phoning 9202 9100 or email redfernwaterloo@rwa.nsw.gov.au
• make a written submission, deadline 5 pm on 7 April 2006, mailed to Redfern Waterloo Authority, PO Box 3332, Redfern NSW 2016
• attend the RWA Built Environment Plan Community Forum, Saturday, 4 March, 1 PM— 3 pm, at Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt Street Waterloo

Member for Heffron Kristina Keneally today gave notice of motion in the Parliament condemning Clover Moore MP for not supporting the 31 small businesses, 3 local schools, local welfare groups, local churches, and over 15 Aboriginal groups who back the PCYC’s proposal to redevelop Redfern Oval.

“Despite a remarkable coalition of support from the Redfern-Waterloo community, as well as cross-partisan support from the Greens, Liberal and Labor councilors, Clover Moore used her casting vote to ram through her ideological agenda for Redfern Oval,” Ms Keneally said.

“Clover Moore and her team ran for election under the banner of ‘community independents.”

“Well, that’s turned out to be a pretty apt description: they are acting completely independently from the South Sydney community.”

Ms Keneally said that she was advised that the following community groups had endorsed the PCYC proposal:

Alexandria Park Community School

Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Waterloo

Darlington Public School

Human Services Planning Group – Redfern Waterloo Authority

South Sydney Youth Services

Pathways to Prevention Committee

Metropolitan Land Council

Redfern Local Area Command

Redfern Aboriginal Authority (a governing body representing 13 Indigenous Interagencies)

Aboriginal Medical Service

Aboriginal Housing Corporation

Murawina Aboriginal Child Care Centre

Wunanbiri Child Care Centre

Connect Redfern

South Sydney Rabbitohs Football Club

South Sydney Leagues Club

Local churches in Redfern and Waterloo of all denominations

Local welfare groups

31 small businesses in the surrounding streets, including newsagents, butchers, cafes, bakeries, hairdressers, supermarkets, and shoe repairers

“Instead of genuinely listening to the local community, it seems Clover Moore did what she has done since being elected Lord Mayor – ignore the community south of Cleveland Street,” Ms Keneally said.

“Bear in mind, north of Cleveland Street you can find 4 pools, with another $40 million project underway at Ultimo.”

“But south of Cleveland Street, there is only open space – no active recreation facility,” Ms Keneally said. 

“Given the high proportion of high rise accommodation and socio-economic disadvantage, you would think the Council would support an active recreation facility in the Redfern and Waterloo area.”

“Since election as Lord Mayor, Clover Moore has increased funding to the pool in Ultimo from $25 million to $40 million.”

“This pool is in the enlarged state seat of Bligh.”

“But in the enlarged state seat of Heffron, the old state seat of Bligh, Clover Moore has instead used her casting vote to knock down Redfern Oval – ripping the heart out of South Sydney.”

Ms Keneally said it was sadly ironic that Clover Moore had used this ham-fisted approach to destroying a community-backed facility.

“Clover Moore’s political career started when, as a mum with young kids, she campaigned to get the council to improve facilities in South Sydney.”

“As a mum with young kids in South Sydney today, I know first-hand that our area sorely lacks an active recreational community facility.”

“I urge those councilors who did not support the community backed proposal to reconsider their position next week when the proposal comes before the full Council.”

CONTACT - Kristina Keneally

Occupying approximately 48,000 square metres between Elizabeth, Chalmers, Redfern and Phillip streets, Redfern Oval and Park, are at the centre of a debate about what South Sydney needs the most - open space or a major sports stadium.

Locals who support converting the oval into a public sports field are angry that a decision on its future use has just been postponed

They fear that Sydney Council looking again at a proposal to build a major sports stadium on the site, so the South Sydney leagues club team, the Rabbitohs can come "home".

That fear deepened at the end of June when it was reported officials from the Rabbitohs had met with the executive of Sydney City Council.

The Rabbitohs want a 12,000-seat boutique stadium at Redfern, built by the time the club's three-year contract to play games at Telstra Stadium from 2006 ends.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the club's current optimism that it would get its stadium was based on Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore's deferral of plans to pull down the antiquated Redfern Oval stands.

On top of this the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), has imposed a "red and green" ban on Redfern Oval stopping any demolition work

Commenting on the Rabbitohs meeting the Lord Mayor said the talks were "positive but hypothetical".

"Nothing is fait accompli until it goes before a full meeting of council," she told the Herald.

For a while it looked as if a decision was imminent.

At its May meeting the council's environment and heritage committee seemed poised to support a proposal that would see the oval converted to open space.

But then the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) put forward a proposal and the CFMEU imposed the red and green ban.

The ILC, an independent body funding indigenous purchase and management of land wants the oval site used for the creation of a centre of cultural and sporting excellence for Sydney's indigenous population.

To complicate things even more the ILC say its officials have held discussions with the Redfern-Waterloo Authority about possible involvement in redevelopment of the oval. Redfern Oval lies within the boundary of the new planning authority, but remains community land under the jurisdiction of City of Sydney Council. But the RWA may now become the planning consent body.

In any event the CFMEU and ILC proposals reopened the debate and the council committee agreed to defer its decision for a month.

The plan the committee would have looked at was a $19 million conversion for public use.

Under this there would be a playing field, with an undercover pavilion for seating, player change rooms, toilets, gymnasium, office space and community meeting space. Sports lighting for training purposes with temporary fencing for ticketed events were also included in the costings.

Ian Thompson who lives locally and is spokesman for the community lobby group Open Up Redfern Park said: "We would have been happy with that ($19m plan), although we do have concerns about why it would cost that amount of money."

The Open Up Redfern Park group has been at the forefront of a campaign to lobby council to reject the Rabbitohs proposed stadium development.

On the ILC proposal Mr Thompson said: "A centre of excellence for indigenous people is fine, but if in association with that they [the ILC] are going to support a major stadium being built, then that's not fine."

Open Up Redfern Park was hoping that the environment committee would push ahead with the proposal to develop the park and oval as public space and is frustrated that there is still no decision.

"The whole planning process historically is that this has to be opened up and it keeps on getting delayed," said Mr Thompson.

Redfern Park began as a swamp, which was filled in during the 1890s to provide cricket ovals and tennis courts. The division between park and oval took place in the post¬WW2 years.

The oval is probably best known as the former home ground for the South Sydney Rabbitohs who are now trying to come home.

The team has not played a game at Redfern Oval since 1987. These days the oval is used for training as well as junior rugby matches and the annual Koori Knockout.

The South Sydney Football Club's lease of the oval runs out in October so Club chairman and long time Rabbitohs campaigner George Piggins has been leading the fight to return his team to the oval.

As usual one big problem is money. A report prepared for the state and government taskforce in 2002 by consultants ISFM Sports Project Specialists concluded that the current facilities were badly rundown and significant investment would be needed to meet the standards for hosting National Rugby League games in the future.

The same study identified the community desire for passive and general recreation including school sports.

Council placed three options on public exhibition in November last year.

The proposals ranged from development as a village green with full public access to the oval through to major construction of formal sporting facility for seating up to 20,000 people.

A fourth option put forward by George Piggins included a 14,000-seat stadium with adjoining commercial and club facilities, and undercover parking for 800 cars.

In March this year the club announced they had signed a $5.2 million deal to move from their current base at Aussie Stadium at Moore Park to Telstra Stadium at Homebush, that runs out next year and the options are move to Gosford or come back to Redfern.

That option looked very unlikely until the latest talks.

Ms Moore has gone on record previously saying the council did not support Mr Piggin's option.

But the CFMEU thinks it should be looked at in more detail hence the ban on demolition work.

Media officer with the CFMEU, Tim Vollmer said the union is acting in response to calls from their workers, local residents, the indigenous community and the Rabbitohs club and fans.

"The ban is a threat to council, a bargaining tool. We don't think a decision should be made until there is proper consultation with the community" he said.

NSW MP for Heffron Kristina Keneally also thinks consultation so far has been inadequate.

She said she thinks the CFMEU ban demonstrates strong working class support for a major facility for the South Sydney Football Club,

but the council has not considered petitions with signatures from outside Redfern.

"Well you know, people who live in Mascot and Eastlakes have a view on Redfern Oval. Souths draws from the whole South Sydney area. From Waterloo down to Botany Bay people consider themselves part of the Rabbitohs" she said.

Ms Keneally said there is adequate open space in the area but that active recreation facility is needed.

"There are no facilities in that community for young people to participate in sport, there's nowhere you could rum a little athletics competition, there's nowhere for junior rugby league, or community sports program to operate from," she said

Mr Thompson said: "The issue fundamentally is that the area has a very low level of open space per person, and in that calculation they include the oval as open space."

Council estimates show that based on 2001 population numbers, there is 5.9 square metres of open space per person in Redfern-Waterloo.

With a projected population increase of up to 40,000 people in the area by 2015 open space is set to fall to 4 square metres, well below the City average of 6.6 square metres.

Mr Thompson said: "If the oval is closed off then you lose that space and lose any opportunity to have it opened up in the future."

Recent editions of Southside News can be found at http://www.journalism.uts.edu.au/

A Premier's Department report in October 2004 revealed that the RWA would be a non-budget dependent agency, funded through the sale of public assets, with the exception of a one-off loan. Keneally said, "The reality is the money has to come from somewhere. When we have surplus land, that's equity we're not using. Often the best thing to do is to sell the land and use it for current and future needs. The RWA needs money to develop the Australian Technology Park, and Redfern Station. Later down the track, we'll have to think about renewing the public housing stocks in Waterloo. And while we are going to keep public housing residency at the current level, a lot of those buildings are coming towards the end of their life".

In response, Geoff Turnbull of REDWatch said he is not against the sale of public land but believes the NEW Government needs to undertake greater planning so that the community is not left without valuable assets in the future. "If the RWA has to sell land just so it can cover its start up costs, then the whole process is a farce. Nothing should be sold off until a plan is put together and we know what is needed in the area", Turnbull said. "The NSW Government wants to double the population of Redfern-Waterloo, and their research has indicated that there is already insufficient public space here. It's crazy to sell the scarce land that is available. The money for the RWA should come from the State Government".

NSW Greens MP Sylvia Hale said that budget shortfalls should not be used as an excuse for the NSW Government to ignore community interests. She argues that the different parts of RWA policy are in conflict with each other. "If the Government genuinely wants to push for increased population density then it has to make sure it has the hospitals, schools, and parks to cater for that. To sell public assets, particularly when the money isn't going back into then replacements, is appalling", Hale said. "It's strange to knock down the very things that attract people to an area. I'd be really sorry to see those buildings not used for the purposes for which they were built - in them you can see the history of Redfern and. Waterloo'.

Councillor Tony Pooley agrees. He said, "When did it become necessary for individual suburbs to fund their own rejuvenation by flogging off community assets? I doubt this would occur in Point Piper or Vaucluse".

REDFERN RAILWAY STATION LIFT ACCESS

Discussion on Petition Signed by 10,000 or More Persons

Ms CLOVER MOORE (Sydney) [4.30 p.m.]: The residents of Darlington, Redfern, Waterloo, Chippendale and Alexandria have signed a petition of 10,000 signatures calling on the Government to take overdue action in relation to a lift to allow people access to Redfern station. Redfern station is a major hub of the CityRail network. Every metropolitan railway line other than the airport line passes through Redfern station, making it one of the busiest stations on the network and the second-most important for changing trains. Responses to my 2010 question on notice reveal that the station is the seventh busiest in the CityRail network, with almost 42,000 trips to and from the station each weekday.

The station services the University of Sydney, the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence, the Australian Technology Park, the Carriageworks, the Redfern Community Centre and several Redfern-based community services including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services. It also serves as an area of major projected residential and business population growth through urban renewal projects. Yet, despite the station's significance, there are no lifts to its platform, making access difficult, if not impossible, for people with disabilities, for older people, for parents of young children, for pregnant women and for people who are less mobile due to illness or injury. People with luggage or carrying large items also find it a challenge.

In the twenty-first century in Sydney, Australia's global city, all major stations should be accessible, and this needs to be urgently addressed. Public transport is essential to reducing traffic congestion, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. People will not use public transport if it is not convenient. If they are unable to do basic things like change platform, instead they will revert to private motor vehicles. And, for people with a mobility problem who do not have cars and rely on trains for transport, it is unfair. I have heard stories of people in wheelchairs having to travel past their station to another, just so that they can access a line that takes them back to their station on the right platform.

With so many train lines using Redfern, the station should be a priority for an accessibility upgrade. If it were fully accessible, it would provide relief to other busy stations. Various Government Ministers have responded to my questions in Parliament, acknowledging that plans are being developed for the upgrade of Redfern station, but they have failed to provide a time line or a start date. A key focus of the 2006 Redfern Waterloo Built Environment Plan was an upgrade for the station, but plans, timetables and funds were never delivered. The community has been promised an upgrade for more than 20 years, under both Coalition and Labor governments. The community does not want this debate to turn into a blame game between the major parties. What the community wants is action. Responses to my calls to the Minister this year indicate that Redfern station is being considered as part of a review for future upgrades. I understand that funds have been allocated to upgrade 35 stations to make them accessible as part of the Transport Access Program. The need for equitable access to Redfern station is urgent. It should be included in the first round of upgrades under the Transport Access Program. I am really pleased the Minister is in the House to speak on this issue today.

The community has launched Lift Redfern, a campaign to get lifts installed at Redfern station as a priority. The campaign is supported by a wide range of resident, business, arts, political and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, community groups, community services and local elected representatives. The petition before the House forms part of this campaign, with teams of volunteers collecting signatures at Redfern station and nearby access points and at other stations on the CityRail network. Lift Redfern suggests that the Government prioritise platforms 11 and 12, on the Eastern Suburbs line, while it commences plans for a full station upgrade. These platforms were built in the 1970s; they are completely underground and separate to other platforms. They have lift possibilities and would be easily upgraded separately to the rest of the station. The City of Sydney has endorsed the Lift Redfern campaign; and tonight, together with the Lift Redfern campaign, I call on the Government to immediately upgrade the Redfern station with lifts, starting with platforms 11 and 12, so that everyone can equitably use this busy and important inner-city station. I want to finish by paying tribute to all those who have organised this petition. I hope that its aims will come to fruition.

Ms GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN (Willoughby—Minister for Transport) [4.34 p.m.]: I want to acknowledge the contribution made by the member for Sydney. I do not disagree with anything the member has said. I was at Redfern station this morning as I was catching a train to meet a commitment, and I was reminded of the easy access challenges that exist at that station. I want to acknowledge, as the member for Sydney did, each of the 10,000 people who put their names to the petition. That is why we have petitions—so that the message reaches this Parliament on a matter that the community feels strongly about. I want to thank you for the contributions that you have all made to bringing the debate to the Parliament today.

There is no doubt that when we assumed government the challenge for us in relation to what was originally called the easy access program was huge. Unfortunately, of the 307 stations on the network only 131 are accessible. When we came to government in March last year about two-thirds of all our stations did not have easy access. As Minister for Transport, I am acutely aware of the challenge that exists, and that is why one of the first actions I took when I became Minister for Transport was to look at what funding was available for that program and what other programs were available to upgrade our stations. We looked at all the different pots of money that existed, pulled them all together and released the Transport Access Program.

As shadow Minister for Transport I was very critical of the pace of the then Government on easy access, because on average only two stations a year were being upgraded. If we kept to that pace, it would have taken us at least 90 years to make all the stations accessible. Just to demonstrate to the community how strongly I personally feel about this issue, when I was first elected to Parliament about nine years ago I felt very strongly—I still do—that one of my local stations did not have easy access. I took the issue to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. I thought, "Why should one part of the community be excluded from using the station?" Unfortunately, my case was dismissed. But I wanted to use that example to demonstrate that it is a matter that I feel very strongly about. That is why, when we came to government, in this year's budget we gave an extra $40 million boost to the program that provides accessibility to our stations.

I was very pleased to announce earlier in the year, as was outlined by the member for Sydney, that 35 stations will be getting upgrades. We are able to upgrade more stations with the money we have available and the boost we have provided; the previous Government's policy to upgrade each station for easy access was what we call gold plating.

Every station it upgraded was provided with the gamut of easy access facilities—that is, a lift, a ramp, stairs, escalators and so on. I would prefer that more stations be provided with a ramp, a lift or an escalator rather than nothing. We must increase accessibility as quickly as possible at a large number of stations rather than at just two or three a year. That is why the Government has announced that 35 stations will be upgraded this year. Unfortunately, Redfern station was not one of the stations included on that list because it has specific issues, which I will address.

Initial research indicates some complex issues at Redfern station, but that is not an excuse to do nothing. As the member for Sydney said, Redfern is in reality a city circle station although it is not classified as such. The number of people who use it means that its upgrade is much more complex than that required at an average suburban station. Obviously it requires more extensive work, which will be more costly. Museum station, which is a city circle station, needs lifts and we face huge challenges at Wynyard station and Town Hall station. The Government is ready to address those challenges. I reiterate that this Government is committed to increasing the number of stations with easy access facilities, especially those that have high usage. The Government feels strongly about this issue and that is why it has committed to act.

Opposition members will undoubtedly say how terrible the Government is for not doing anything. However, in 2007 the then member for Heffron, Kristina Keneally, announced that Redfern station would be upgraded. She went on to be the Premier of New South Wales, and the member for Marrickville, who is about to make a contribution to this debate, was the Deputy Premier. They had a great deal of time in which to address this issue, but unfortunately they did nothing. It is therefore a bit rich of them to organise photo opportunities now. The shadow Minister for Transport was the Parliamentary Secretary for Transport when members opposite were in government. I did not want to politicise this issue, but unfortunately it has been politicised by people who had a great deal of time to do something but who did nothing. The Coalition's record in government demonstrates that it takes easy access to stations seriously. This Government has already delivered 35 station upgrades. We appreciate the challenges that must be addressed at Redfern and I acknowledge that people are experiencing difficulty accessing it. However, the Government is reviewing that situation and I look forward to making further comments about accessibility at our railway stations. 

Ms CARMEL TEBBUTT (Marrickville) [4.42 p.m.]: I support this petition organised by the residents of Darlington, Redfern, Waterloo, Chippendale and Alexandria calling for lifts to be installed at Redfern station to improve access. I thank all the people who worked so hard to collect the signatures, many of whom are in the gallery today. I particularly acknowledge the work of Lift Redfern, which has brought together resident, community, Aboriginal and business groups and politicians. It has actively campaigned to ensure that improvements are made to Redfern station. Geoff Turnbull, Linda Scott, Robyn Fortescue and others have worked very hard on this campaign. Geoff and Linda, who are in the gallery, have played a major part.

Redfern station is at the junction of three electorates—Heffron, Marrickville and Sydney. This petition was tabled by Kristina Keneally, the former member for Heffron and former Premier. I pay tribute to her advocacy on behalf of her electorate. She was passionate about the people of Heffron and improving services and infrastructure in her electorate. She wholeheartedly supported this petition and the campaign to upgrade Redfern station by installing lifts. Ron Hoenig, who is the Labor candidate for Heffron and who is also in the gallery, shares that passion. I know that he will be a great member for Heffron after he is elected on Saturday. Campaigners collected more than 10,000 signatures on this petition in a little more than one month. That is a demonstration of the significant community support for this issue. The campaign for the upgrade of the station was launched in November last year at a community barbeque.

While many individuals have been involved in the campaign—and I have named some of them—its genesis was the desire to carry forward the late Trevor Davies' vision for Redfern. As many members know, Trevor was a long-time inner-city Labor activist who was tireless in his advocacy for the communities of the Redfern-Waterloo area. His work in the local community preceded the formation of Lift Redfern and was about much more than simply upgrading the station. Nonetheless, Trevor saw the upgrade of the station as critical because it is the gateway to the area and an important part of any broader improvements. It is sad that Trevor is no longer with us and cannot witness this debate. Of course, this issue is not only about Redfern and surrounding communities; it is also about Sydney. Redfern station with its 12 platforms is a key station on the railway network because almost every line runs through it. I am pleased that the Minister is in the Chamber this afternoon and I welcome her assurance that she is examining this issue. However, I must point out that it is she who has politicised the issue, and that is a shame.

ACTING-SPEAKER (Mr Gareth Ward): Order! I acknowledge the presence in the gallery of the longest-serving Mayor of Botany Bay, Ron Hoenig.

Mr CHARLES CASUSCELLI (Strathfield) [4.46 p.m.]: I congratulate the petitioners and volunteers who worked so hard on this petition containing more than 10,000 signatures that calls for the installation of lifts at Redfern station. I also congratulate the Government on allowing the petition to be tabled so that it can be debated. We all want the same thing; we all want every railway station in this State to have easy access. I have just returned from South Korea and I was very impressed by the facilities provided at subway and railway stations in that country. Governments must consider the resources they have at their disposal and determine priorities accordingly. This was never an urgent issue for the former Labor Government—it was not an issue for its transport Ministers or for the local member, Kristina Keneally. It was not an issue when she was the Minister for Redfern Waterloo nor when she was Premier. It was never on the radar and the Labor Government did nothing.

This Government is now being asked to do something in a little over 18 months that had not been done during the 16 years that members opposite were in government. I am not suggesting that the Government is not capable of responding to the challenge. However, we must take into account equity and fairness across the network. We have limited resources, and priorities must be established to achieve maximum benefit for the people of New South Wales. My only lament is that the Labor Government spent $500 million on a failed metro project, another $100 million was wasted on the failed Tcard project and $176 million was spent on an unnecessary bridge close to where I live. That wasted money amounts to more than the $700 million that this Government has allocated to improve access at our railway stations.

If the former Government had not flushed that money down the toilet it could have been spent at Redfern station and Flemington station. Many people travel to Flemington on the weekend to buy produce at the market and I often see people struggling up and down the station stairs with their purchases. The money could also have been spent on the station at Croydon, which has an ageing population. The same could be said about stations across the network. I am delighted that the Government has allocated a significant sum to address this issue. The Minister is working on a fair and equitable program that will maximise the effect for train travellers, and I commend her for that. If anyone should offer an apology it is the former member for Heffron—she should apologise to the petitioners for not having done something sooner.

Mr JAMIE PARKER (Balmain) [4.49 p.m.], by leave: I congratulate and thank those residents and members of local communities who campaign not only on this issue but also on disability and access issues in general. I am proud to see in the public gallery members of the community of Sydney, and the inner west in particular, who have been working on this issue. I thank the residents of Redfern, activists, businesspeople and community members who have supported this petition. It is important that this petition is before the House. Accessibility is an issue at train stations and, in my electorate, ferry wharves. It has been talked about for a long time. I am pleased to see that the Minister for Transport is in the Chamber to speak to the House and the community about the issue.

The issue was raised emphatically by residents in my electorate. I acknowledge Irene Doutney from the City of Sydney and Mehreen Faruqi, the fantastic Greens candidate contesting the seat of Heffron. She has been working tirelessly on this matter. Ms Faruqi will take up the fight against inaction, whether with Labor or the Coalition, to make sure the job gets done in our community. I put to the House that the community needs a timetable. The community understands and accepts that there are limited resources, there is a range of challenges that need to be met on the network, and there are limited funds. I respect the fact that the Minister has come to the House to address the issue. Some Ministers do not come to the House when petitions are discussed; I acknowledge that the Minister for Transport does.

It is important for the petitioners and the broader community to understand the Government's time frame. The Minister has said that she will look into the matter in the future, but it would be appreciated if the Government could set out a time frame so that there is context. I do not intend to politicise the issue by bashing the former Government but it made commitments that it did not deliver on. It is understandable that a community that has experienced disappointment under a former Premier is concerned that the present Government may squib on the promise as well. The community looks to the Government to deliver.

Mr Daryl Maguire: This Government delivers.

Mr JAMIE PARKER: I acknowledge the interjection by the Government Whip that this Government delivers. Let us look at a time line. Will it be this year, next year, or the year after? The community needs an assurance that there will be progress on the matter. I thank the residents and members of the community who have fought so hard for this issue.

ACTING-SPEAKER (Mr Gareth Ward): Order! I thank members in the public gallery for their attendance this afternoon. The discussion of petitions allows members of the public to bring forward ideas and to have them heard in your Parliament. 

Discussion concluded.

Source: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/V3ByKey/LA20120823?open&refNavID=HA1_1

A Victory for Public Housing Tenants – and a message to Housing NSW - We are NOT going to take this anymore!

A Department of Housing tenant in Sydney's notorious Redfern area has successfully sued the Department of Housing for failing to provide her with "quiet enjoyment" following an ongoing dispute with a neighbour over antisocial behaviour.

The Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal found Housing NSW had failed to act within Residential Tenancies Act 1987 - Sect 22, to ensure “reasonable peace, comfort or privacy of the tenant”.

This landmark ruling opens the floodgates for other public housing tenants affected by antisocial behaviour to take the Department of Housing to task for its poor management.

For over two years Housing knowingly breached the terms of Ms K’s lease and did little to rectify the breach in spite of a continuous effort on her behalf and on behalf of all the other tenants in the street. One noisy, anti-social neighbour and her many visitors destroyed the harmonious inner city community by her continual loud parties, vandalism of property and criminal behaviour. She was so successful in her intimidation of all the neighbours that several were too afraid to give evidence in court.

Ms K and the other neighbours submitted hundreds of pages of incident reports and complaints over a two year period but Housing failed to act on a single one. The file was passed around to more than ten staff members and each in turn failed to act. In desperation and frustration, the tenants appealed to their local Member of Parliament, Kristina Keneally, who also failed to act.

After nearly two years of complete mismanagement by Housing NSW, the only recourse was the Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal and papers were filed in August 2010. Initiating delaying tactics, HNSW failed to turn up to two of the three hearings but the case went ahead without them. Over a hundred pages of evidence was presented to the CTTT along with a series of tape recordings of the noise. The only defence offered by Housing was a handful of fabricated incident reports with incorrect dates and fictitious events.

In the end after seven months delay, Ms K’s evidence spoke for itself and the Tribunal upheld the claim and awarded a partial rent refund to the affected family in March 2011.

For many years families living in public housing have watched their communities devolve into slums and their rights as tenants gradually be undermined and diluted.

Once the politicians start labelling it as “housing of last resort”, the motivation of the public servants tasked to manage the portfolio wanes. They just allocate new tenants to houses and then sit back and shuffle papers, write reports and apply for promotions. The politicians create policy that will never be enforced, then quote numbers and percentages at the media and the media perpetuates the concept of “just Housos”.

By far the biggest problem affecting decent tenant’s living standards is anti-social behaviour.

This is a broad brush and can be anything from barking dogs and disputes over common areas through to to violent and noisy neighbours and vandalism of property. Many acts of  anti-social behaviour  are not criminal acts  so the Police can do little but calm the situation until the next time. These problems are not limited to public housing. Private rentals are also affected, especially where they border onto large public housing estates.

Housing NSW have policies in place to deal with anti-social tenants but rarely pursue the issue or enforce their own policy. They have many options available to them: Acceptable Behaviour Agreements, Specific Performance Orders, CJC Mediation, Renewable Tenancy, Transfer under Tenancy Management and finally eviction.

However, their tendency is to allow the problem to escalate until it is a Police matter and they can successfully wipe their hands of it.

Early intervention and implementation of existing policies would alleviate the “crisis management” mentality. It would also alleviate the necessity of burdening the Police service, DoCS and the Health Dept with problems that could have and should have been solved within Housing.

The noisy, anti-social tenant in Ms K’s case was never held accountable for her behaviour; she was simply relocated to another property where she is free to begin her reign of terror with another set of neighbours. She left behind a trashed house and a $5000 cleanup bill for the NSW taxpayers to absorb.

So the complete mismanagement of Housing NSW continues – unless more tenants make them accountable. Ms K is hoping her experience will lead the way for more cases to proceed to CTTT and that Housing will finally begin to act on their own policies and that more tenants can look forward to peace returning to their communities.

Footnotes

1. Residential Tenancies Act 1987 No 26 Sect 22   Tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment

(1)  It is a term of every residential tenancy agreement that:

(a)  the tenant shall have quiet enjoyment of the residential premises without interruption by the landlord or any person claiming by, through or under the landlord or having superior title (for example, a head landlord) to that of the landlord, and

(b)  the landlord or the landlord’s agent shall not interfere, or cause or permit any interference, with the reasonable peace, comfort or privacy of the tenant in using the residential premises.

(2)  A landlord or a landlord’s agent under a residential tenancy agreement shall not, during the currency of the agreement, contravene or fail to comply with subsection (1).

Now amended to:

Residential Tenancies Act 2010 - Sect 50
(3) A landlord or landlord's agent must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the landlord's other neighbouring tenants do not interfere with the reasonable peace, comfort or privacy of the tenant in using the residential premises.

Source: www.ourhouseswap.com.au - Tenant SUES Housing NSW - and WINS!!!

Unfortunately comments by Mr Frank Sartor in his book Fog on the Hill about the University of Sydney’s position on the possible purchase of North Eveleigh are out of date, incorrect and misleading. It appears that Mr Sartor was unaware of any developments that took place after the period that he left Cabinet.

Mr Sartor quotes unnamed “university sources” that the University was only prepared to pay $30 million for the site despite a commercial valuation of about $100m. He obviously made no effort to check the facts.

For the record, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney, Dr Michael Spence, wrote to the then Minister for Planning & Minister for Redfern Waterloo, Kristina Keneally on 18 December 2008, expressing the University’s desire to enter direct discussions with the NSW government regarding the University’s desire to purchase the former Eveleigh Railway yards.

In March 2009, the CEO of the RWA Roy Wakelin King wrote to the Vice- Chancellor to inform him that the Budget Committee of Cabinet had authorised the RWA to enter into direct negotiations with the University. These negotiations were to last 3 months and if they were unsuccessful, the site was to be taken to the open market for disposal.

Subsequent to those negotiations the University and the Vice-Chancellor Dr Spence made a number of public statements that the University was prepared to pay market price for the North Eveleigh site.

This fact was reported in the SMH on March 5, 2010 in an article by Josephine Tovey headlined “developers may get site uni seeks to house students”.

On 19 March 2010, Mr Colin Rockliff, Director of Campus Infrastructure and Services wrote to to Mr Roy Wakelin King, CEO Redfern Waterloo Authority and said: “We have committed to pay a full market price to Government and to consult closely with the community in developing the site for public benefit.” This was reconfirmed in a further letter from Colin Rockliff to Roy Wakelin King on 29 March 2010.

The University’s willingness to pay full market value for the site was also reported in the South Sydney Herald April 2010.

Sydney University Media contact:  Andrew Potter

The text of the section of Frank Sartor's book to which Sydney University are responding can be found at: Sartor: Keneally discussed plan for North Eveleigh with Sydney Uni

“Its renewal and redevelopment will ensure that it continues to play just as important a role in the future.”

Cabinet approved the funding package shortly before the NSW Government went into caretaker mode on March 4 and will allow the AHC to complete the Development Application process and demolish all remaining properties on the Block.

The DA and demolition process is a critical part of – and has been for some time a major impediment to – the $60 million Pemulwuy Project to create a new residential, commercial and cultural precinct for the local Redfern community.

Spokesperson for community group REDWatch, Geoff Turnbull, said the grant has been a huge boost to AHC and has provided it with a source of funding which otherwise may not have been forthcoming.

“As I understand it the AHC had sought a loan from financial institutions but had run into trouble as banks would not lend to them,” he said.

“This was not because the project did not stack up but because of the political problems the banks had previously encountered in liquidating collateral put up by Aboriginal Organisations. As a result the AHC approached the Government.”

The Pemulwuy Project plans to revitalise The Block by creating 62 new homes and providing more than 15,000 square metres of commercial, community and cultural space. It is anticipated that it will create 300 jobs, with 200 coming in construction alone.

Source: www.altmedia.net.au/premier-announces-grant-for-the-block/33032

A cultural centre and other community spaces are also planned.

The Department of Planning has published a submission on the development and the Aboriginal Housing Company’s (AHC) response following the exhibition period last year.

Public submissions included 73 in favour of the project and 17 objecting to the proposal. There were also submissions from the Redfern Waterloo Authority and Sydney Council.

A large number of the objections concerned the community living in and around the Block rather than planning grounds.

The objections criticised the AHC’s ability to effectively manage the project and claimed the new project would become a ghetto of crime and antisocial behaviour.

One objector wrote: “The project will never be completed and will be occupied by vagrants, squatters and other problems”. Another described the Block community as “intimidating and violent.”

A submission by Sydney Council broadly supported the project but questioned whether the development would merely result in the “dispersal of homeless, street drinkers and injecting drug users”.

The council also commented on a “lack of good design”, failure to comply with height and floor space ratio limits, substandard amenity, lack of environmentally sustainable elements and poor layout.

Others complained that the plan did not adequately take commercial or residential zonings into account, and a number questioned the effect of shadowing and scale on neighbouring Caroline St.

The AHC argued that the concept plan was in accordance with local planning instruments and where variations occur it was allowed.

The Redfern Waterloo Authority also made a submission supporting the proposal but raised concerns about the scale of the development compared to the character of surrounding residential terraces. The authority also wrote that safety and passive surveillance was poor.

The AHC rejected this, saying Redfern police had been involved in consultations about the project and supported the development.

The Department of Planning and Planning Minister are expected to announce a decision about the Pemulwuy Project within weeks.

Michael Mundine, CEO of Aboriginal Housing Company at The Block photo: Phil Rogers

Source: http://sydney-central.whereilive.com.au/news/story/pemulway-housing-project-in-redfern-nears-approval/