At
the time Local and National studies showed that food insecurity was high in the
area. The insecurity was being heightened by the duopolies that dominated the
local grocery market. The overwhelming
welcome of Aldi’s opening in the area was driven by the hope that it would
bring some relief to the concerns about growing grocery prices; however will
ALDI be enough to bring balance to the strong tide of “yuppification”
of local businesses?
In
recent times in an attempt to re-brand the area with the new Redfern smile, we
have seen large investment in Redfern Street area; the opening of expensive
cafes, small bars, art galleries, plus Woolworths, and a new Coles store.
Most
of the new more affluent residents in the area may welcome the changes. However
we must be cautious of the hidden cost and damage this could potentially do to
the long term social housing residents of the area, who in the main are barely
surviving on $245 a week, and potentially can no longer afford what currently
is on offer in Redfern Street. In addition there those living on a median wage,
who are not dependent on welfare but under sever housing stress due to higher
rents, costly energy bills, and traveling costs, that are struggling to make ends meet.
When
the Redfern Brand was launched the late Trevor Davies asked the question “Is
Redfern the new Paddington..? Will we lose the working class character the
Redfern has had for decades?”
The
answer given was that we wouldn’t, however the tide is noticeable slowly
creeping in and a walk along Redfern Street will show that the characters
occupying the cafes and new small bars are not the same people of times gone
by. Crime is on the decrease, more outsiders are willing to stop by rather than
drive by, or even now contemplate living here.
The change should be welcomed and embraced, but let us not forget the
locals who have called Redfern and Waterloo home for their life time.
The
challenge for Government and the business community alike is to ensure that
there is opportunity for businesses to open up in the area and that all
consumers continue to have choice, one which is competitive and keeps prices
low.
If
we do not, we run the risk of driving out of town those who give our area its
character and charm out of town; not because they don’t want to be here, but because
they can’t afford to. Poverty will not be solved by dilution of the
demographics, or by a makeover of street scape with a few new fancy bars and
art galleries.
If the Government’s Built Environment Plan 2 doesn’t
drive out locals through the planned reduction of social housing stock, will
the yuppification of local business drive out the locals? What can be achieved to ensure balance and
affordability?
Source: South
Sydney Herald February 2012 www.southsydneyherald.com.au