The department first 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.
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”.
Resident groups would still like to meet with the Minister
but he seems to prefer the company of the Redfern Waterloo Chamber of Commerce
than department tenants.
However, this year the Minister wasn’t so shy. Last month he
visited the area
to announce a new anti-graffiti program. The program
includes photographing graffiti ‘tags’ before painting over them.
A joint partnership has been established between Housing NSW
and Redfern Police to run a pilot program to combat illegal graffiti in and
around the Marton
Building on Cope Street,
Redfern.
The Minister said: “Like everyone else, public housing
residents deserve to live in a building that is free from graffiti.
“Under the new partnership, Housing NSW and Redfern Police
will pursue anyone who is found to be responsible for graffiti attacks on the Marton Building.
The public areas of the building will be inspected regularly for graffiti, any
of which will be photographed, reported to the Police Assistance Line and
removed within 48 hours of identification.”
A temporary sticker on illegal graffiti will send a message
to perpetrators that “this graffiti has been reported and police are
investigating”.
The trial is in response to community concerns about the
level of graffiti in Waterloo
and the inner city. Local residents are encouraged to report any illegal
activity to the police. A review of the pilot will be held at the end of June
2008.
The SSH would encourage the Minister to meet with the
residents to discuss the ongoing concerns that residents have about the future
of the estate.
Photo: Esther Turnbull
– Matt Brown with residents at the Marton
Building in Redfern
Source:
South Sydney Herald April 2008 – www.southsydneyherald.com.au