As spokesperson I have been the public contact point for
REDWatch. My office phone and mailbox have been given as the contact points for
REDWatch, and I deal with a range of inquiries from the media, students,
residents and the general public looking for information about REDWatch or
issues connected to the area. Where possible I refer these inquires to others
who can provide the assistance sort.
I have maintained the REDWatch website, selecting articles
dealing with the area for the media section and producing updated sections
documenting RWA changes and announcements. As an indication of the importance
of the website in September 2008 the REDWatch website averaged 400 visits /
1500 pages and 8000 hits per day. The website fills the role of a virtual resource
centre where people can access information about the area and this certainly
helps handle some of the enquiries received over the phone. I want to thank Lyn
for also assisting with the events section of the website and for talking with
many of the students who approach REDWatch for assistance.
I would like to also publicly acknowledge the assistance of
Nickolas Lam who has been responsible for hosting the REDWatch website.
Nickolas provides the technical support on the website and since moving the
site to external hosting has also been paying the hosting charges.
Over the year I have dealt with many media inquiries,
background briefings and interviews which have helped to raise the issues of
concern to REDWatch. I have also spoken on behalf of REDWatch at a range of
public and consultation meetings and liaised with local agencies and other
community groups and individuals about REDWatch issues. I have continued to sit
on the Redfern Legal Centre Advisory Council and the Pemulwuy Project Team as
REDWatch spokesperson.
Lyn and I have continued to produce our Redfern Waterloo
Issues Updates (RWIU) which appear on the REDWatch website along with other
material produced about the area from a multitude of sources. The RWIUs provide
an up to date information source for REDWatch and for the broader community.
While the RWIU is not produced by REDWatch, my role also as REDWatch
Spokesperson does create the possibility that REDWatch will be impacted by what
is said in RWIUs. When people ring it is seldom possible to know if they are
approaching me as a result of REDWatch or as a result of the RWIU. There
remains the possibility that REDWatch may be attributed with something I say
personally but I endeavour to make it clear when officially speaking on behalf
of REDWatch.
Currently I put around 30-40 hours a week into Redfern
Waterloo activities in addition to my full time business. Changes in my
business mean that at some point it will not be able to support me and provide
the flexibility it currently does for Redfern Waterloo activities. To ensure an
active voice into the future REDWatch needs to look at how we can spread the
workload and provide opportunities for new people to be involved in a range of
different ways in the group.
REDWatch has achieved much in its first four and a half
years. REDWatch plays an important advocacy role in the area but much that
could be taken up is not due to lack of people, skills, time and active
government discouragement of advocacy. The challenge I see for REDWatch is to
help provide the opportunities, skills and confidence to build up the voice of
advocacy in Redfern Waterloo so that the communities have an ongoing active
voice in areas future.
Geoffrey Turnbull
Spokesperson 2007-8