REDWatch MEDIA
RELEASE
Sartor takes Planning Control of
Redfern’s Block
A map of Redfern Waterloo has been published in the
Government Gazette which shows the initial areas declared as state significant
within the RWA boundaries. The map includes private land as well as the
publicly owned land which were to pass to the RWA under the provisions of the
Redfern Waterloo Act. A copy of the map is attached.
Spokesperson for REDWatch Geoffrey Turnbull said “The
declaration of The Block within the gazetted area of state significance of the
RWA will put the future of the Aboriginal Housing Company’s Pemulwuy project
under the planning control of its major opponent. Minister Sartor has made
plain his opposition to the proposed 62 house project on The Aboriginal owned
Block”. “The City of Sydney Council
will no longer have planning control over the Pemulwuy project”
“Frank Sartor and this Labor Government this day have
done the greens a favour,
Sussex St should not bother running a candidate in this area for quite some
time” said Trevor Davies a REDWatch
member and a local ALP Secretary. “I am today ashamed to be a member of the
ALP” Mr Davies said.
“This will certainly lead to some heated debate at
State Labor Conference on the June long weekend”. Mr Turnbull said.
“This move stands to further inflame the relationship
between the Minister and the community over the future of the Pemulwuy project
and The Block” Mr Turnbull said “I think this announcement has guaranteed a
successful turnout for a
Reconciliation Bridge Walk and Candle Light vigil in support of Aboriginal
Housing on the Block on June 9th” Mr Turnbull said.
Mr Turnbull called for Premier Carr to visit the block
and “see the Pemulwuy project plans first hand rather than rely on second hand
accounts”.
On the broader area Mr Turnbull said “The RWA was set
up to put together a Plan for Redfern Waterloo and yet we have decisions about
the areas to be declared state significant being made without the plan being
formulated or even the Ministers advisory committees being established.”
“The RWA seems to be in a big hurry to do everything
but consult the local people about what they want”. Mr Turnbull said
One part of private land includes the north easterly
end of Lawson Street
apparently up to and including the proposed Lawson Street Health / Needle
Centre and then North to Louis, West along Vine Street to Abercrombie Street then north to Cleveland Street
and then properties on the western side of the railway line back to Lawson Street.
The second area of private land is effectively
bordered by Lawson Square,
Regent Street,
Margaret Street
and Gibbons Street
and takes in the old TNT towers and the area expected to abut any development
of Redfern Railway station.
Public Lands covered in the schedule include, Redfern Public School,
Rachael Foster, the Old Redfern police Station and Court in addition to the
ATP, Railway corridor and North Eveleigh. The
gazetted area does not include the Public Housing estates within the RWA
borders which REDWatch believes will be left until a later stage of the RWA’s
Plan.
The identification of the RWA areas in this form
follows the reforms to NSW Planning System announced on May 12th. A
special Supplement of the Government Gazette (number 60) has been issued
entitled the State Environment Planning Policy (State Significant Development)
2005 under the EPA Act 1979. This SEPP can be downloaded from Special
Supplement No 60 of 25 May 2005.
To understand the full impact of the SEPP we also will
need to know whether there will be changes to the state significant development
provisions in the Environment Planning & Assessment Act and if so what they
will be.
For Further
Information contact:
Geoffrey
Turnbull
or
Trevor Davies
REDWatch
Spokesperson
Ph: 04 0000 8338
Ph
Wk: (02) 9318
0824
email: turnbullfamily@stassen.com.au
REDWatch
is a residents and friends group covering Redfern Eveleigh Darlington and Waterloo (the same area
covered by the Redfern Waterloo Authority). REDWatch monitors the activities of
government activities such as the RWA and RWPP and seek to ensure community
involvement in all decisions made about the area.
5th May 2005