Carr's land grab

In a massive property grab the Carr Labor Government in NSW 
has set up the Redfern-Waterloo Authority which is designed to 
allow the Government to bypass decision making by local councils 
and communities. The two inner city suburbs have Aboriginal 
communities which have long been seen by the Government as a 
hindrance to plans by developers.

In March 2002, the Redfern-Waterloo Partnership Project was 
announced to address serious social problems in the area. That 
was the stated intention, at any rate. But there was no movement 
to address the problems, which arise out of poverty and long-term 
racial discrimination.

There was little information and consultation from those running 
the Project.

Now the Redfern-Waterloo Authority, under Minister for Energy and 
Utilities, Frank Sartor, is to control key sites, administer a 
Redfern-Waterloo Fund and develop a ten year plan.

Sartor, a former Sydney mayor, will have unprecedented powers to 
override normal planning controls, take control of areas at will, 
choose developers for areas adjacent to such sites, and override 
the Heritage Act.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is also an MP whose electorate 
takes in Redfern and Waterloo. She described the plan as "nothing 
but a grab for development-related cash" by the Government.

In Parliament Ms Moore moved amendments to the proposed Redfern-
Waterloo Authority Bill, warning that it sets up a new super-
authority with extraordinary powers that will be above the law.

"The Minister will be accountable to no one and will have the 
capacity to annex other suburban areas at will, to cherry pick 
the most valuable development sites, and to act as the consent 
authority for his developments without being hindered by 
inconvenient planning laws, such as the Heritage Act."

For starters, heritage laws will no longer apply to four sites in 
Redfern: the Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh Railway 
Workshops, the 23 hectares of public housing estates, and the 
Block and its surrounds, where the area's Aboriginal community 
lives.

Sartor claims it is "not about dispossessing Aboriginal people 
and sending them off somewhere else". But there will be no place 
for them in Redfern and Waterloo as it will be changed into a 
high-income-only residential and retail area.

There are already plans for the construction of three shopping, 
residential and office towers over Redfern station and for 
residential development of Eveleigh.

It has also been revealed that another, separate, body along the 
lines of the Redfern-Waterloo Authority is being formed to take 
over what the Government describes as "run-down corridors" 
throughout Sydney. Although details of this body are as yet only 
sketchy the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Craig 
Knowles, has already earmarked Parramatta Road from City Road to 
Granville, and set up a Parramatta Road Task Force.