The REDWatch community group was born in early 2004 in a
time of significant social and political change in Redfern.
Protests over the death of an Aboriginal youth had caused
increased scrutiny of the area and discussion about its future.
Gentrification was happening quickly and debate about public
land and housing intensified. The NSW Government was examining the
Redfern-Waterloo partnership project which would pave the way for the Redfern-Waterloo
Authority (RWA). The authority was formed in 2004 and charged with redeveloping
the area.
“There was discussion that there was a real need for a
community voice in the area,” said REDWatch co-ordinator Geoff Turnbull.
Ben Spies-Butcher, a member of the community group, agreed:
“We set REDWatch up at a time when there wasn’t
an outcry from residents. But a number of us realised that there was going to
be at some point.”
REDWatch is made up of about 10 to 12 key organisers who
work on a volunteer basis. The first public meeting was held in June last year
and meetings have been held monthly since then. Usually between 15 and 20
people attend, but any member of the local community is welcome to join in.
Turnbull has been sending out email information alerts on
local issues for several years. These have now become REDWatch alerts and are
featured on the website.
“I think that information gathering and distributing
function is really important,” said Spies-Butcher.
“If we didn’t
have that it would be so much easier for the government or for developers to
come in and steamroll over the community before they really realised what was
going on.”
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore attended a REDWatch meeting,
generating discussion of the relationship between Sydney City Council and the
RWA.
Guest speakers at other meetings have included the CEO of
the RWA, Robert Domm, NSW MP for Heffron,
Kristin Keneally, and director of Council of Social Services New South Wales
(NCOSS) Gary Moore.
Topics discussed range from the suitability of Frank Sartor
as the Minister for Redfern-Waterloo, the need for adequate aged care
facilities in the area, to the role of public and private partnerships in
funding developments.
Turnbull is not a member of any political party and REDWatch
members have a variety of political connections. Spies-Butcher, for example, is
convenor of the South Sydney Greens.
Trevor Davies has
been involved with REDWatch since its inception and is secretary of the Darlington branch of the ALP.
Ian Thompson, another founding member, is president of the
Surry Hills Liberal Party.
Trevor Davies
said that they all co-operate despite their political differences.
“It reflects that sort of cultural diversity, that
social-political diversity of the area. But Liberals? That’s going too far isn’t
it,” he joked.
Their political links proved invaluable when lobbying the
Government as the RWA legislation was being drafted. Davies’ ALP contacts helped REDWatch secure a meeting with
Sartor and other Labor Ministers, including then Deputy Premier Andrew
Refshauge.
“The morning the bill was going to the lower house; I
was lobbying him (Refshauge) for a better consultation process,” said
Davies.
“So it was a fairly heavy lobbying process.”
REDWatch managed to effect some changes in the RWA
legislation.
“We didn’t
get as many as we wanted, but we got a number of changes. I think that was a
significant victory,” said Spies-Butcher.
Such changes included ensuring the boundaries of the RWA
area cannot be extended just at the Minister’s
say so, but must instead be taken back to parliament.
The RWA is a 10 year process and REDWatch hopes to monitor
its progress for just as long. The group is currently trying to secure its
future by formalising its structure and is considering options such as
incorporation.
“We sit as a group of people committed to the cultural
diversity of the area and we’ll
fight like hell to protect what’s
there,” said Davies.