REDWatch Comments on
The Proposed Redfern Waterloo Authority
(RWA) and Plan (RWP)
The Premier has announced a Redfern Waterloo Authority to be
modelled on the Sydney Harbour Foreshores Authority. The Authority is to be
headed by NSW Minister Frank Sartor and will manage and potentially develop all
NSW Government land in Redfern,
Eveleigh, Darlington and Waterloo.
It will also implement a broader
Redfern Waterloo Plan for the NSW Government.
REDwatch, a group of residents drawn from the area covered
by the Redfern Waterloo Authority, have a number of concerns about the announcements and have adopted the following points, which
need to be accepted by the government
if the RWA is to service the interest of the local community.
Structure
1.
There should be one integrated stakeholder managed
entity driving the social, environmental
and social agenda of the RWA. Successful overseas models should form the basis
for the RWA structure
2.
If the human Services and social agenda is to operate
separately from infrastructure component then:
a) there
must be mechanisms for maximum
community participation in both operations,
b) The
social agenda must form the basis of
the infrastructure development
c) There
must be complementarity of effort
and close co-ordination between both bodies.
3.
Effective equitable social development outcomes
must be equally as important in the RWA’s core work as economic and environmental objectives. This should be reflected in the
RWA charter, focus, work processes, membership
and behaviour.
Board Make Up
4.
The government
should appoint representatives from nominations made by established community
organisations operating in the area to the RWA and the RWPP if it operates
separately.
5.
There should be representatives on the board(s) from the
broader community and human services sector including public housing and the
aboriginal community
Residential Developments / Housing
6.
Retain housing mix in order to ensure the diversity of
the community by:
a. Mandatory
affordable housing targets in private developments
b. Guaranteed
levels of aboriginal housing
c. No
net loss of public housing.
Mechanisms
7.
Real partnerships between State, Federal and Local
Government with residents, service
providers and business are essential in tackling Redfern Waterloos challenges.
8.
There must be comprehensive community information,
engagement and consultation
strategies and these must be implemented.
9.
A Redfern Waterloo Community Council must have a
genuine role in monitoring the activities of the RWA and RWPP and ensuring
community involvement in the
processes.
10.
Government to develop alternatives to public-private
partnerships. Alternatives to include use of government
debt financing and incentives for
superannuation fund investment for infrastructure developments.
11.
Any funding arrangements,
concessions and arrangements to
recompense a private party for the provision of infrastructure or services for
the RWA are to be fully disclosed to the community and this disclosure subject
to independent audit. Disclosures to include all building concessions,
incentives and disincentives provided by any party and to include externalized
impacts where the community suffers loss of amenity
to provide concessions for the developer.
12.
The government
should establish the RWA so that the potential conflicts of interests between
its roles as infrastructure planner, regulator, land manager, land seller,
financier and social planner are identified, disclosed and addressed from the
outset.
13.
The consent authority function should be subject to
public notification, public objection and independent appeal such as to the
Administrative Decisions Tribunal.
14.
Social Impact Assessments
should be undertaken prior to all developments.
15.
The Redfern Waterloo Plan should undergo similar
community consultation to that promised to the community for the draft RED
strategy which the Plan now replaces.
Human Services
16.
The Human Services Review to be made available to the
public, agencies and the City of Sydney
Council to inform the opinions and programmes.
17.
Any proposed introduction of pooled funding, locality
based priorities or other significant changes in service delivery should not be
introduced without extensive consultation with service recipients, government and non-government
service providers and the broader community.
Legislation
18.
The details of the proposed RWA and the enabling
legislation should be made available for public discussion prior to its
introduction to parliament and its
implementation.
19.
Legislation to be reviewed after 12 months operation of
the Authority to determine if any amendments are required to the Act.
20.
The Authority to produce an annual report to the
community.
P
Public Land
21.
There should be no net permanent alienation of public
land managed by the Authority and the maximum public benefit should be derived
from the use of public land.
For more information contact:
Geoff Turnbull Ph:
9318 0824 Fax: 9310 2746 email: turnbullfamily@stassen.com.au
Ben Spies-Butcher Ph: 0414 744 758
REDwatch meets monthly at the Redfern Community Centre on the
4th Sunday at 2pm
Postal Address: c/-
Geoff Turnbull, PO Box
1567, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012
03 November 2004