On learning that Matt Brown, Minister for Housing, was to
tour Waterloo
with members of the Redfern Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, the SSH approached
the Minister’s department for information.
The Department denied plans for the meeting, only to then
concede it would take place. A request for a photo of the Minister and his
hosts was met with resistance.
Arriving at Waterloo Green at a time confirmed by the RWCC,
the SSH learned that, at the Minister’s behest, the meeting had taken place
some two hours earlier.
In a briefing paper leaked to the SSH the RWCC said it was
concerned to “minimise the negative impact of the area” that has resulted from
the Government’s location of a large number of “high needs people in Redfern
Waterloo public housing”.
The brief details a need to improve administration of
estates in the area and for the RWCC to take an active role in redevelopment
plans.
Local residents are concerned the Government’s long-term
plan to mix public and private housing will polarise the community and undermine
public housing in the area despite Planning Minister Frank
Sartor stating at a recent estimates committee meeting that
“there is no intention at all to reduce the amount of public housing in
Redfern-Waterloo”.
The Housing Minister failed to respond to questions issued
by the SSH which asked the Minister to guarantee that no part of the estate
would be sold or leased to fund any redevelopment, and to explain why he had
not yet met with public housing tenants to hear their concerns.
Source: South Sydney Herald December 2007 www.southsydneyherald.com.au/
[REDWatch notes – 1.
The RWCC Briefing Note was publicly released see NSW Minister for
Housing visits Redfern Waterloo in last RWIU. 2. The Minister met as
scheduled with the RWCC but left earlier than expected.]