ALP – Heffron – Response to REDWatch questionnaire

Response
to RedWatch Candidates Questionnaire

March
2007

Executive Summary

The NSW Government established the Redfern Waterloo Authority in 2004 to
revitalize the Redfern-Waterloo area.

Achievements
of the RWA in the last three years include:

New jobs
and investment to Redfern-Waterloo: The NSW Government, through the Redfern-Waterloo
Authority, has made real progress in creating new jobs and opportunities for
the local area and turning around social disadvantage.

We have seen a significant
boost in the new jobs and investment flowing into the Redfern-Waterloo area,
which is a direct attribute to the hard work of the Redfern-Waterloo Authority.

Our clear plan
has seen the RWA generate almost $300 million in new investment for the area,
including more than $76 million directly
committed by the Authority itself:

$123 million to be invested by Sydney Broadcast
Property to build a new
state-of-the-art media centre at the Australian
Technology Park
or ATP, starting in April 2007.

The development is expected to generate more than 600
construction jobs and 2,000 permanent jobs. Will include 60 construction jobs
for Indigenous workers, under Jobs Compact signed by the CFMEU and
Redfern-Waterloo Authority on 15 May 2005.

$47.5 million being invested by the
Redfern-Waterloo Authority in a new research building at the ATP: Six-storey building that will house National
Information and Communications Technology Australia and the Defence, Science
and Technology Organisation. Estimated Six hundred permanent jobs and during
construction 26 jobs for local Indigenous people and
new apprentices. The building will be completed about August this year.

$40 million invested in a new Contemporary Arts
Centre at North Eveleigh: The project saw
heritage buildings at North Eveleigh converted
into this contemporary performing arts space in conjunction with the
Redfern-Waterloo Authority and RailCorp. The
Contemporary Performing Arts Centre opened in January 2007 in conjunction with
the Sydney Festival. Delivered 21 construction jobs for Indigenous
people.

$35 million investment by the Indigenous Land
Corporation (ILC) to purchase the former Redfern Public School and
redevelop it into a new National Indigenous Development Centre. The new Centre will help young people
achieve their full potential through mentoring, training and learning initiatives.
Expected to help up to 5000 young people each year when fully operational. Existing Murawina Child Care Centre and four
school buildings will be refurbished.

$35.25 million delivered by an Affordable Housing
Contribution Plan over the next 10
years, delivering about 75 affordable housing dwellings in the Redfern-Waterloo
Authority operational area – plus another $23 million for affordable housing
under the agreement negotiated between the RWA and Carlton and United Breweries
over the future development of its Chippendale site.

$16 million to be invested by the RWA for
Aboriginal affordable housing: The RWA has
committed to facilitating the provision of new dwellings over the next 10 years
to provide affordable housing for Aboriginal residents of Redfern-Waterloo.
These dwellings are proposed to be in addition to any housing currently owned
or proposed to be privately developed by the Aboriginal Housing Company on AHC
land on and around the Block in Redfern.

The RWA
Contributions Plan will deliver about $36.7 million
in developer contributions for public domain and other public works as a result
of future development in the area under the RWA’s Built Environment Plan.

$10 million in transforming the former Redfern
Courthouse and Police Station into a new community health facility: This new facility will become a
‘one-stop-shop’ for health service, designed in response to community feedback.
The plan is to provide health assessments, early childhood and family support
services, counselling, perinatal and family drug health services, mental health
services, welfare support, sexual health services and more.

$6 million
from the Redfern-Waterloo Authority to fund a new pedestrian/cycle link between
North Eveleigh and the Technology
Park

$6.5 million in new roads and infrastructure for the Technology Park.

$4.2 million invested by NSW Police in March 2005 to establish a new police station
at the former TNT
Tower.

Three-quarters of a million dollars to develop a new training centre at North Eveleigh, including the Yaama Dhinawan Indigenous
hospitality training enterprise.

145 jobs have been
created for local indigenous people
during the urban renewal process in Redfern Waterloo.

1. Role of the RWA
and Community Consultation

The Redfern-Waterloo Authority Act 2004 establishes and sets out the
RWA’s principle functions, taking into consideration social, economic,
ecological and other sustainable development, public areas, Aboriginal
community needs, social cohesion and community safety.

The RWA’s tasks
include:

Generating jobs for the people of the area,
Improving delivery of services to the community
Promoting urban renewal that respects and strengthens the rich
heritage that makes this community unique in Sydney.

Current activities of the RWA
include:

Development
of job creation schemes for local unemployed, with a particular emphasis on the
Indigenous community;
Developing
a Human Services Plan that will improve the delivery of social services to the
community;
Encouraging
new anchor tenants and investors to build and bring jobs to the Australian Technology Park;
Facilitating
urban renewal and heritage restoration opportunities at North
Eveleigh and other surplus government lands;
Working
on plans to enhance access to and refurbish Redfern Railway Station;
Seeking
a sustainable solution for the Block and its environs;
Working
with the RTA on improving traffic management/pedestrian safety/retail amenity
on Regent and other major streets;
Implementing
a community consultation strategy that will include regular newsletters to
residents providing news of latest events and activities, setting up an
interactive website, quarterly community forums and smaller community meetings
on specific issues.

The Redfern-Waterloo
Plan is being developed in stages by the RWA with priority being given to
economic revitalisation, human services and job creation.

The Redfern-Waterloo Authority is committed to the NSW
Government’s priority of improving the quality of life in Redfern-Waterloo
through the involvement of people who live in the community. We will implement
a comprehensive community engagement strategy to ensure the best outcomes for
all people who live in the Redfern-Waterloo area.

The
community consultation framework includes:

Three Ministerial Advisory Committees on Built
Environment, Employment & Enterprise, Human Services;
Public meetings notified to residents;
Resident & business focus groups;
Internet based feedback mechanism;
Regular post feedback
mechanism;
Working groups of officers as required;

All residents can be
involved.

Community representatives have been appointed to the three advisory
committees. The Committees also contain Government agency representatives.

1. Built Environment – considering urban design,
traffic, public access, public transport, land use, affordable housing and
urban renewal. Community Members: M/s Jocelyn Jackson, Mr Alex Kibble, Mr
Richard Pembroke, Mr Shane Phillips, Mr Jonathan Rez, Mr Steve Tamas, Mr
Geoffrey Turnbull, M/s Ann Weldon

2. Employment and Enterprise – considering strategies to increase
job and business opportunities in the area, including the Indigenous
community. Community Members: M/s
Megan Gardiner, M/s Margaret Hobbs, Mr Anthony John Larkings, M/s Bronwyn
Penrith, Mr Dennis Weatherall, Mr Michael Dalah

3. Human Services – considering human services
and health issues affecting Redfern-Waterloo.
Community Members: M/s Jill Edwards, Mr Howard Glenn,
Mr Dominic (Dom) Grenot, Mr Paul Knight, M/s Shirley Lomas, Ms Lynette Stewart,
Ms Mabel Chang

Human Services
Meetings

Four service cluster groups met to address the first stage of the Human
Services Plan. The cluster groups comprised of people responsible for providing
services in Redfern-Waterloo.

The workshops each
focused on one of the following areas: Health Services, Youth Services,
Services for Families and Children, Services for Aboriginal People.

Community Consultation on the Draft Built Environment Plan and Draft State
Environmental Planning Policy

The RWA undertook
a comprehensive communication strategy to seek community and stakeholder input
on the draft Plan.

This included
advertising, information posted on the website, newsletters, information and
feedback sessions, a community forum, presentations, briefings and residents
meetings.

Key measures
included:

Public exhibition of the Draft BEP and Draft SEPP for
two months to April 14 2006.
15,000 newsletters delivered to all residential
dwellings within the RWA operational area advising of the draft BEP and SEPP
and consultative arrangements.
2,000 draft Plans distributed to stakeholders, key
organisations and interest groups as well as members of the community.
A public meeting held March 4 2006 at Redfern Town Hall.
Daily
Information/Feedback Sessions from 27 February to 10 March at the RWA offices,
with additional information sessions held at the community’s request.
Special
residents’ meetings, stakeholder briefings and interviews with local Aboriginal
people.

2.
The Built Environment Plan

The Redfern-Waterloo Built Environment Plan (Stage
One) is a component of the Redfern-Waterloo Plan, along with the Human Services
Plan and the Employment and Enterprise Plan.

The
Built Environment Plan (Stage One) encourages an employment and investment
based revitalisation of the area by providing a planning framework for the
following Redfern-Waterloo sites as identified in State Environmental Planning
Policy (Major Projects) 2005:

Australian Technology Park
North Eveleigh
South Eveleigh Railyards
Eveleigh Street Precinct (including the
Block)
Redfern Railway Station/ Gibbons Street/Regent Street
Precinct
Former Rachel Forster
Hospital
Former local Court House and Redfern
Police Station
Former Redfern Public School

Most
of these sites, which total around 35 hectares, are State Government owned and
are located near the Redfern Railway Station and Redfern Town Centre.

The
Built Environment Plan proposes a consistent set of controls relating to urban
design, land use zoning and the carrying out of future development of
Redfern-Waterloo sites. It also identifies strategies for associated transport
and traffic management, heritage protection, open space and public domain
improvements, infrastructure provision, pedestrian and cycle access and
guidelines for the achievement of safe and sustainable communities.

The
Plan will be complemented by more detailed guidelines contained within

Development
Control Plans and/or Concept Plans to be determined following consultation with
the community.

It is
estimated that the Plan will generate about 400,000 m2 of employment generating land, which translates to
around 18,000 jobs. About 2,000 new dwellings could also be developed.

A
State Environmental Planning Policy will provide the statutory basis for the
implementation of the environmental planning aspects of the Plan.

The
key principle of the Plan involves the creation of a Town Centre with an
economic and civic heart focussed around Redfern Railway Station and pedestrian
and cycleway links to business hubs at the Australian Technology Park, North
Eveleigh, Redfern and Regent Streets.

Urban
Design

Urban
design analysis has provided the basis for height controls and shaped the
desired future character of each site. The Plan proposes general urban design
guidelines that are supplemented by design concepts for each site, outlined in
Section 4 of the Plan.

Transport

The transport strategy outlines key
initiatives including:
the redevelopment of Redfern Railway
Station
improved connections to bus services
management of traffic from new development
improved traffic operations on Regent and Gibbons Street
improved connection between ATP and North Eveleigh
encouraging safe and easy cycling.

Infrastructure

Consultation
with major service providers has indicated that capacity of essential services
may be augmented to meet the increase in demand.

A
Contributions Plan for the provision of public facilities and amenities is on
public exhibition.

3. State Significant Sites

The first stage of urban renewal will centre on a number of sites in
Redfern Waterloo declared to be State Significant Developments under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Projects) 2005. These are identified on Map
16 of the SEPP.

State significant
development is development that the Minister for Planning has determined is of
state or regional significance, and will therefore require his/her consent.

For example, the
Redfern-Waterloo Authority is investigating essential developments for an
accessible, efficient railway station. A heritage Station with steep steps and
no easy access for elderly or disabled people and parents with young children,
Redfern Station is the eighth busiest Station in the NSW network – a role which
will increase in activity as the population grows. Redevelopment will improve
access to and the efficiency of RailCorp operations and include commercial
activity.

These State
Significant sites in the Redfern-Waterloo Authority operational area include
the following:

North Eveleigh Precinct
South
Eveleigh Precinct
Eveleigh Street Precinct
City
West
Australian Technology
Park (ATP)
Eveleigh Street Precinct
Redfern
Railway Station
Gibbons
– Regent Street
Precinct
Redfern Public School
Redfern
Police Station / Court House
Rachel Forster Hospital

The Minister for Planning is the consent
authority for development on all State significant sites in
Redfern-Waterloo. The Minister for Planning has delegated certain consent
authority functions under Part 4 of the Environmental Planning and
Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A
Act) including planning assessments and a minor determination role to officers
of the Authority.

The consent
authority functions that have been delegated to certain officers include:

Assessment
under Part 4 of the EPA&A and determination as a consent authority of
developments as listed in Schedule 3 – Types of Development in the Instrument of Delegation
executed by the Minister of Planning.
The
assessment and determination of all applications under Section 96 of the
EP&A Act to modify a development consent where consent was issued either
under the delegation or by the Minister of Planning (under a previous
delegation) where the consent relates to development on State significant sites
in Redfern-Waterloo.

Certain functions
have also been delegated by the Director General of the Department of Planning
to officers of the Authority. These include:

The
administration and processing of applications under Part 4 of the EP&A Act
The
preparation, consultation, recommendation for the Minister and adoption of an
urban development plan or master plan.

In most cases the City of Sydney
Council is the consent authority for development
and/or works on all other land not identified as State Significant within the
Redfern-Waterloo Authority operational area. Development applications for these
proposals are lodged, processed and assessed by the Council.

4. Open Space

The Redfern Waterloo Built Environment Plan has been amended to identify
proposed open space areas including public open space, private open space and
civic spaces.

The area commonly
referred to as “Marian
Street Park”,
bounded by Gibbons Street
and Rosehill Street,
will be zoned ‘Public Recreation’ and the proposed maximum height limit
of 18 storeys has been removed from the BEP. It is also proposed that the open
space be dedicated to the Council of the City of Sydney, subject to adequate funding being
committed to upgrade the park.

Other indicative
locations of future and existing publicly accessible open space areas with the
RWA’s strategic sites include:

A new civic space that
will link the Town Centre and Redfern Railway Station and providing a
focus for enterprise and activity.
Areas within North Eveleigh comprising around 15% of the total
site.
Areas within the Australian Technology Park
including tennis courts, playing fields and pedestrian/cycle walkways.
The zoning of the
playing fields on the former Redfern
Public School,
comprising around 4,500 square metres, will be changed from ‘Special Uses’
to ‘Private Recreation’. The Indigenous Land Corporation, which is
purchasing the site, has indicated that managed public access to the
playing fields will be supported.
Land located at the Pitt Street
frontage of the former Rachel
Forster Hospital
site, which is currently zoned ‘Special Uses – Hospital’.

5. Public Housing

The Government will neither reduce the amount of public housing in
Redfern- Waterloo nor disadvantage its current residents.

One of the key elements identified during community consultations
in 2003 was the need to provide better housing options in the area. The renewal
of public housing estates will be investigated. No decision has been made on
their future. Public housing accounts for thirty-five percent of residents and
fifty percent of the housing stock in the area.

The Government is looking at all the options for the long-term
future of public housing in Redfern and Waterloo.
There will be substantial consultation with tenants, local organisations and
other government and non-government agencies before any plans for the area are
pursued.

The RWA proposes to address the public housing issue in a detailed
way in Stage 2 of the Redfern-Waterloo Plan.

All tenancies are secure.

There are no plans to redevelop any public housing at this time,
with the exception of the proposed Elizabeth
Street development which has been the subject of
extensive community consultation.

The Redfern-Waterloo Authority Bill 2004
provides that the Authority should provide and promote housing choice.
Affordable housing levies will be obtained to assist the achievement of this.

6. Human Services Plan

The findings of the 2004 Review of human services in Redfern
Waterloo, called for better integration and coordination of both government and
non government services in order to achieve improved outcomes for the local
community.

To get these results, changes must be made to the way human
services are being provided in the area. The Human Services Plan
provides the framework, strategies and actions necessary to make this happen.

The NSW Government developed the Plan by working with the local
community through cluster groups of representatives of Family and Children,
Health, Aboriginal and Youth services.

This process involved residents, service providers, businesses,
government and non-government organisations and identified the areas that they
felt could be improved as well as discussing the best ways for services to work
together to get results.

The feedback reports from each cluster group formed the basis of
the draft Human Services Plan. This advice has been further strengthened and
shaped by the Human Services Advisory Council, Chief Executive Officer Steering
group, Senior Officers Working Group and the National Council of Social Service
resulting in the draft Human Services Plan.

The public consultation phase provides another opportunity to
provide further information that could influence the Plans direction and
increase the effectiveness of the outcomes for the community.

The Plan is designed to reflect the hoped for potential of the
Redfern Waterloo community and it focuses on the priority areas that require
attention and support.

This includes concentrating on services for young people, children
and families and Aboriginal people in the first stages of action. Services
dealing with migrants, the aged, people with disabilities and homeless people
will be addressed in early 2006 as Phase 2 of the Plan.

The Plan identifies the organisations that are essential to human
service delivery and describes the type of actions needed to achieve the
anticipated results.

The Plan already has the support and agreement from the government
agencies involved in human services for Redfern Waterloo.

The contributions and support that will be required from the non
government human service providers in order to achieve improved outcomes for
our community are incorporated in the strategies and actions contained in the
Plan.

A working group of Senior Officers from the government agencies
responsible for the strategies included in the Plan has been set up to ensure
that outcomes are met. This group called ISOG, will meet on a regular basis to
progress action and will be supported by the RWA’s Human Services Team and
report to the CEO’s Steering Committee.

The Human Services Team and ISOG will also work together with the
non-government organisations whose services support the priority areas being
addressed through the Plan to make sure that outcomes are achieved.

Local, regional and state representatives from non-government
service organisations will also be invited to make presentations to the CEO
Steering Committee and ISOG as part of the active exchange of information that
will assist in improving co-ordination and service delivery for the community.

A Ministerial Advisory Committee on Human Services has also been
established and includes representatives from government, non-government,
Aboriginal organisations and community members. This group will play a role in
providing ideas and suggestions as the plan is being put into action.

The RWA has developed a comprehensive communication strategy to
keep the community and service providers informed on the progress on the Plan.
This will include information posted on the website, newsletters,
presentations, briefings, emails and meetings.

Over 200 people provided their input in the development of the
Plan. This provided large amounts of advice and many viewpoints and suggestions
on how to improve human services in Redfern Waterloo.

Every recommendation that could be achieved through the Plan was
considered, and where like issues had a connection or relationship they were
grouped together with the best options to address the issue investigated.

The community’s ongoing
involvement and participation in the Human Service Plan will be a key factor in
achieving successful outcomes for Redfern Waterloo. Feedback is always welcome.
The Redfern Waterloo Authority has developed a range of community engagement
strategies to provide opportunities for the community to comment throughout the
life of the Plan.

7. Emploment and Enterprise Plan

The RWA’s
Employment and Enterprise Plan aims to directly challenge the area’s social and
economic disadvantage by fostering jobs, educational and life opportunities and
a higher standard of living.

The RWA sees
wealth creation as an antidote to welfare dependency. The path to wealth creation through well-paid employment
is education – whether this be education at university or through vocational
education.

The statistics
demonstrating the area’s current social and economic disadvantage are
revealing.

40% of housing in
Redfern-Waterloo is public housing (23% in Redfern and 73% in Waterloo). 38% of households have a weekly
income of less than $400, with 16% being less than $200.

Almost one third
(27.9%) of the population in Redfern-Waterloo is receiving income support in
the form of Disability Support Pension, Newstart Allowance, Single Parenting
Payment or Age Pension.

Details of people
living in Redfern, Waterloo, Eveleigh or Darlington that are receiving income support at September
2005 are as follows:

Age Pension –
approximately 2,908
Disability
Support Pension – 2,023
NewStart
Allowance – 1,237
NewStart Mature
Aged Allowance – 46
Single Parents
Payment – 550
Partnered
Parenting Payment – 83
Youth Allowance
(not studying) – 89
Youth Allowance
(full time study) – 503
CDEP Payment –
45 (source:
Centrelink Data)

The RWA has
developed several major strategies that we will progressively implement over
the next ten years commencing in 2006.

The Built
Environment Plan projections estimate that up to 18,000 jobs can be created in
future years through commercial development on the nine sites currently
designated as State Significant by the Redfern-Waterloo Authority. Final
projections will be in the final Built Environment Plan.

It should be
noted that about 600 jobs alone will be created at the Australian Technology Park
by 2007 with the RWA’s decision to borrow up to $47.5 million from NSW Treasury
to commence construction in early 2006 of a new building to house National ICT
Australia and the Defence, Science and Technology Organisation. A number of
other significant building projects at the ATP are currently under
contemplation by the RWA, demonstrating the huge employment generating
potential of this site alone.

However, the
Redfern Waterloo area has not achieved its full economic and employment
potential despite its strategic location as the southern gateway to the City,
its public transport accessibility, its strategic position in the heart of the
airport CBD corridor and its proximity to some of the largest tertiary campuses
in the nation. The area provides a unique opportunity to achieve the highly
sought after outcome of being able to live and work in one’s local community.

The RWA will
investigate the benefits to the area of having Redfern-Waterloo designated an
enterprise zone for up to a 10 year period, which could involve the offering of
targeted payroll tax concessions to new or expanding small and medium sized
businesses in the area, especially when linked with an employment and training
strategy.

The RWA has identified several major strategies that
will support the development of employment and enterprise opportunities for
both local residents as well as the broader metropolitan community. These
opportunities are located in walking distance to Sydney’s
second most accessible railway station, thereby ensuring high levels of public
transport patronage and limiting vehicle impacts on the local community.

The major
strategies are focused on the following aspects:

1. Revitalising
Redfern retail precinct

2. Increasing
business development land

3. Capitalising
on Research/Innovation Zone

4. Strengthening
partnerships with local employers

5. Improving
education and training opportunities for local residents

6. Developing
industry based employment strategies

7. Targeting
employment opportunities for Aboriginal people and youth

8. Supporting local
business

The RWA’s employment and enterprise development
strategy is a critical component of the overall Redfern-Waterloo Plan, along
with the Human Services and the Built Environment Plans. The strategy has been
developed to ensure that the employment opportunities being created in the area
both current and future are available to the local communities of Redfern, Waterloo, Darlington and
Eveleigh.

The Employment and Enterprise Plan
seeks to provide opportunities for wealth creation for the local community,
through empowering those people that can work to create their own wealth
through meaningful employment or enterprise development.

The Employment and Enterprise strategy will be focused initially
on:

Increasing
supply of employment opportunities, particularly through increasing potential
for commercial and residential development.
Capitalising on
the research/Biomedical Innovation Zone.
Improving
education and training including a dedicated vocational training centre, to
provide people with the opportunities to gain access to well paid work.
Strengthening
partnerships with local employers.
Industry based
employment strategies.
Employment and
enterprise strategies for Aboriginal people and youth.
Supporting
local business

Whilst the plan is ambitious, the
Authority has already in place significant education and employment strategies
for the construction and hospitality industries with particular emphasis on
opportunities for Aboriginal people (see below for more information on these
strategies).

The plan draws on earlier work with the
Authority’s partners from industry groups, group employment companies, job
network providers, local schools and universities, employment services,
vocational training providers and enterprise development agencies.

The overwhelming response to the Employment and Enterprise Plan
has been positive and significant new partnerships with industry are currently
being developed in those industries identified as having skill shortages, in
order to maximise the job opportunities in these industries for locals.

How the Plan was developed

In October 2005 the RWA developed an
initial Discussion Paper on Employment and Enterprise. The paper was distributed to the
RWA Board and the Employment and Enterprise Ministerial Advisory Committee. The
Ministerial Advisory Committee is made up of community and government
representatives with an expertise in employment. Following feedback from these
groups, a draft Employment and Enterprise Plan was developed.

Community Consultation on Draft Plan

The RWA has sought to identify those
people in the community that are interested in employment and enterprise. We
have done this through the RWA’s website registration, mailing list
registration and individuals who have contacted the Authority to register their
interest.

The Draft Plan was put on public
exhibition for community consultation from December 12 2005 to February 28
2006. The Draft Plan was posted to people who had expressed an interest in
employment and enterprise, community members, local NGO’s and Government
agencies.

The Authority’s staff met with numerous
individuals, community and industry organisations to discuss the Draft Plan and
seek their feedback over the 2 month consultation period.

The Plan was also placed on the
Redfern-Waterloo Authority website and was advertised through the January
Redfern-Waterloo Update, the RWA’s regular community newsletter which is
distributed to approximately 15,000 residences in the area. In addition,
interested community members called the RWA offices and had the Draft Plan
posted to them.

Eighteen submissions were received, with
three being received after submissions had closed. The submissions received
included five from NGO’s; four from residents; five from government departments
and four from elected members of parliament or council.

The majority of respondents were
supportive of the plan but wanted particular issues highlighted or strengthened
in the final plan as follows:

Supply of
childcare provision;
Employment
& education opportunities for mature age people;
Support for
small business and enterprise development;
Coordination
with local service providers;
Mismatch
between future job opportunities and the capability of the local community;
Ensure the
employment meets the needs of residents, and is meaningful employment;
Acknowledge
that a concentration of people in the Redfern-Waterloo area are not able to
work as they are well past working age, are ill or have high level of
disabilities or other health issues; and
Addressing the
specific employment needs of culturally and linguistically diverse residents
(CALD) and disabled residents.

In response to the consultation feedback,
the Draft Plan was enhanced to include:

More detailed
information on the profile of local people on income support, including
the finding that 62.5% of people on income support are receiving aged or
disability support pensions.
Highlighting the large
concentration of people in the area who are unable to participate in the
labour market due to age or ill health.
Clarification that the
Authority’s Plan is based on the creation of meaningful work, and ensuring
improvement to education and training to provide access to this work.
Strengthening the
skills audit to capture information on individual’s career preferences.
Clarification that the
Plan adequately addresses the needs of people from culturally and
linguistically diverse backgrounds, sole parents and people with a
disability.
Investigating the
benefits of having the Redfern-Waterloo area designated as an enterprise
zone to offer targeted payroll tax concessions to new or expanding small
businesses when linked to a company’s employment and training strategy.
The recommendation
from the Human Services Plan to increase local, culturally appropriate and
affordable childcare by 100 positions for children living in
Redfern-Waterloo.
Strengthening the
vocational training needs of mature aged people in the community.
Strengthening the
details on the Authority’s training centre at North
Eveleigh.
Highlighting the
benefits of the community’s involvement in local markets, including the
potential for cultural industries development.
Providing more detail
on the cultural awareness program to support local businesses and
strengthen the relationship between local residents and employers,
including ongoing training and mentoring.

The final plan was approved by the Minister for Redfern-Waterloo on 19
May 2006.

Culture Of Work Project

A project is currently underway that is
investigating strategies to motivate people in the Redfern-Waterloo area who
are able to work but for various reasons are not in the labour force.

This project is working with the local
community to gain an understanding of the factors that impact on how a
community develops a culture of work and will focus on identifying current
programs and initiatives that work, and developing strategies for the RWA and
its partners to implement.

Improving Education And Training Opportunities For Local Residents

The vocational training centre at North Eveleigh is currently being refurbished. The RWA
has committed $700,000 in 2005-2007 for capital works, fit out and start-up
costs to establish the centre. Once completed, the centre will offer on-site
accredited training in the construction, hospitality, transport and information
technology industries.

The RWA is developing a partnership with
schools in the local area to strengthen education outcomes as well as provide
vocational education opportunities and link with the training centre at North Eveleigh and job opportunities being created in the
area.

In order for industrial vocational
courses to be taught at Alexandria
Park Community
School, the RWA purchased
$5,000 worth of tools and equipment for use by local school children.

The RWA has commenced the Young Achievers
Australia program currently being delivered for Aboriginal youth from Alexandria Park
Community School,
Eora College and local youth.

A Young Achievers Australia program will
also be run for young mothers in the area. This program will show the young
people how they can create job opportunities for themselves and others to
enable them to contribute to the economic development of their community.

Three scholarships have been provided to
local young people to take part in the PartyCp8 movie-making course, where they
will make a feature movie and will learn all aspects of the movie making
industry. These scholarships have been awarded to young people who will act as
mentors and take up leadership roles in the local community.

Industry Based
Employment Strategies

The first industries that the
Redfern-Waterloo Authority is focussing on to create job

opportunities for locals are the
construction and hospitality industries. At a later stage, the RWA will look at
employment strategies for the following industries:

retail;
transport;
commercial cleaning;
information technology;
services;
cultural.

Employment
in the Construction Industry

The RWA
and the Construction Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) have signed a
10-year Jobs Compact agreement to work together with employers to create real
jobs and training for unemployed Aboriginal people.

The
Minister for Redfern-Waterloo and the CFMEU officially launched the Jobs
Compact on 12 May 2005 at North Eveleigh.

The deal
requires all contracts for construction on State-owned land in Redfern-Waterloo
to include tougher provision and support aimed at increasing on-site work and
training opportunities for Aboriginal people.

The RWA
has developed an Indigenous employment model for use in the construction
industry that expands on the Jobs Compact with the CFMEU.

The model
delivers a streamlined recruitment, training and employment path for head
contractors, coordinating:

Recruitment;
Training;
Apprenticeships;
Group employment; and
Mentoring.

The RWA has developed partnerships with
the agencies involved in delivering services to the employment model. The
partners are:

TAFE NSW;
CFMEU;
New Apprenticeship Centres- Macarthur and BWAC;
Macarthur Group Employment and Training;
Job Network Providers;
AES
Marrickville Training Organisation

On the construction projects currently
operating, the RWA has negotiated 19 jobs for Aboriginal people at the
Contemporary Performing Arts Centre site at North Eveleigh, 26 jobs for
Aboriginal people at the Building D site at the Australian
Technology Park
and 60 jobs at the Channel 7 development at the Australian Technology
Park.

These numbers will increase as more
projects come online at the Australian
Technology Park,
North Eveleigh and the Redfern Station
precinct redevelopment.

The trades that these
positions/apprenticeships/traineeships are in include:

Electrical;
Construction
carpentry;
Plumbing;
Boiler making;
Scaffolding;
Painting;
Brick laying;
Fire sprinkler
fitting;
Sheet metal works;
Labouring; and
Landscaping.

Aboriginal
Businesses in the Construction Industry

Part of
the conditions for contractors on Government-owned land includes the contractor
having to invite Aboriginal businesses in the construction industry to tender
for works.

Employment
in the Hospitality Industry – Yaama
Dhinawan College

The
hospitality section of the training Centre at North
Eveleigh will be unique in that it will specialise in Australian
Indigenous food and culture.

Yaama
Dhinawan will operate a hospitality enterprise, which will offer a unique
cross-cultural educational experience that focuses on providing hospitality
training with an emphasis on practical work in the Yaama Dhinawan café.

Leading Sydney restaurateurs
Raymond and Jennice Kersh (formerly of Edna’s Table) and the Aboriginal elder
and caterer Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo have formed a partnership with RWA to set up
a world-class cross-cultural training and employment program in Indigenous
Australian cuisine.

This
training is open to all unemployed people who want a career in the hospitality
industry.

Aboriginal
Business Service

Any
Aboriginal person who has an idea for a business and would like to know where
to start, or who has an existing business and requires further assistance, can
access the Aboriginal business service.

This is a
FREE, ONE-ON-ONE & CONFIDENTIAL service with an experienced and qualified
business professional that can help on a range of business issues including:

Business Planning
Understanding
regulations
Financing
Management skills
Marketing and market
research
Mentor support

The facilitator works out of the RWA
office in Redfern. Call 9202-9100 to book in a time to meet with the business
facilitator.

The Redfern-Waterloo Authority is
offering this service in Redfern in partnership with the Department of State
and Regional Development.

Local Business
Needs Survey

As part of the RWA’s on-going commitment
to improving business and employment opportunities in the Redfern-Waterloo
area, the RWA is conducting an Employment Opportunities – Business Needs survey
of businesses. The RWA wants to work with you to help your business grow in the
local area and we are looking for information from you on what your business
needs to expand.

An important step in this
process is gathering information from local business people about staffing
needs and any unmet training requirement.