Minister for Redfern Waterloo Frank Sartor today released
the first comprehensive training and employment strategy for the area to
support the creation of 18,000 jobs over the next decade.
Mr Sartor said the Employment and Enterprise Plan drafted by the
Redfern-Waterloo
Authority proposes a range of innovative strategies to
stimulate much-needed jobs growth.
“This Plan aims to help create 18,000 new jobs to tackle the
area’s high unemployment and welfare dependency,” Mr Sartor said.
“Under this approach, wealth creation will be the main
antidote to welfare dependency.”
Almost one-third of Redfern-Waterloo’s population receives
income support, 40 per cent live in public housing, and almost four in ten
households have a weekly income of less than $400.
Mr Sartor said most of the new jobs will be facilitated by
future commercial development on State Significant Sites in Redfern and Waterloo, including the Australian Technology
Park.
“The redevelopment of Redfern Railway Station and the
surrounding area, including the old
North Eveleigh Railyards, will help revitalise its run-down
commercial and retail precinct.
“These urban renewal strategies are expected to create more
than 400,000 square metres of employment space.”
Mr Sartor said these initiatives will also help achieve the
goals of the Iemma
Government’s City of Cities plan for Sydney’s future.
Over the next 25 years, metropolitan Sydney
will need an additional 6.8 million square metres of office space, while a
target of 58,000 new jobs has been set for the City of Sydney.
The RWA’s construction of a $47.5 million building at the Australian Technology Park
is expected to create 600 permanent jobs by 2007, with some to be set aside for
local residents.
“In another initiative, leading Sydney restaurateurs will team up with
Aboriginal elders to set up a cross-cultural training and employment program in
Indigenous Australian cuisine,” Mr Sartor said.
“I am pleased to announce that Raymond and Janice Kersh,
formerly of Edna’s Table, will spearhead
this program along with Aboriginal elder and caterer Beryl Van-Oploo.
“The centre will be established at North
Eveleigh as part of a new $850,000 vocational training facility,
initially focusing on hospitality, construction, transport and information technology
skills.
“The Government will also use its landmark Indigenous
Employment Model to require successful construction tenderers to engage
Aboriginal employees.”
The draft Plan also aims to:
- Facilitate
a research and innovation zone running from the University of Sydney
and UTS to the ATP by improving physical connectivity; - Support
small business growth and the hiring of local unemployed people through
partnerships with State, Federal and Local Governments; - Establish
programs to train locals to fill skills shortages in particular industries
located outside Redfern-Waterloo.
The Employment and Enterprise Plan is on exhibition for
public comment until February 2006 at http://www.redfernwaterloo.com.au
FACT SHEET
- The
Employment and Enterprise Plan forms one part of the Redfern-Waterloo
Plan, which includes plans for Human Services and the Built Environment. - There
are currently around 20,000 jobs in the Redfern Waterloo area – more than double
the resident workforce. Driving down local unemployment therefore requires
better training for job seekers. - The
Employment and Enterprise Plan is the first comprehensive training and employment
strategy for the area, and aims to deliver skilled job seekers to meet the
specific employment needs of the market and to build on future growth
potential. - It
is intended to directly challenge the area’s social and economic
disadvantage by fostering jobs, educational and life opportunities and a
higher standard of living. - Young
people and the Indigenous community in Redfern-Waterloo face high levels
of unemployment and non-involvement in the labour force, and will be a
priority. - The
RWA’s employment and enterprise strategy will initially focus on: - Increasing
supply of employment opportunities, particularly through commercial and
residential development; - Capitalising
on the Research/Biomedical Innovation Zone; - Improving
education and training including a dedicated vocational training centre; - Strengthening
partnerships with local employers; - Industry
based employment strategies; - Employment
and enterprise strategies for Aboriginal people and youth; - Supporting
local business. - The
RWA’s employment and enterprise strategy is based on: - Building
on earlier strategies, such as the implementation of the Aboriginal - Participation
Guidelines in Construction and the development of a hospitality and
training centre at North Eveleigh; - Targeting
the employment opportunities emerging in the information technology and
bio-technology sectors moving to ATP; - Developing
strategies for employment opportunities in the service industries; - Working
with the local community to ensure that the opportunities for - Aboriginal
people in the area are maximised through university based cadetships; - Expanding
cultural enterprises through means such as design production, and realising
export potential; - Strengthening
connections to universities to encourage local children to move into
tertiary education; - Facilitating
the running of enterprise summer schools.
[The RWA Draft Employment and Enterprise Plan (PDF 177KB) can
be downloaded from http://www.redfernwaterloo.nsw.gov.au/other/eep_land_draft.pdf – REDWatch]