Clover's eNews—Friday, 4 November 2005—No. 271REDFERN PCYC AT RISKAs a result of the Government’s planned private/public residential development on the Redfern public housing and Police and Community Youth Clubs (PCYC) site at Elizabeth and Phillip Streets Redfern, the PCYC will be forced to relocate to a new facility. This week, the PCYC presented a proposal to City Councillors for a new, two-level facility at Redfern Park, as part of a 13.6m tall, three storey stadium, virtually the length of the football field. The proposed complex is costly, includes substantial commercial and income generating components with the PCYC facilities, and flies in the face of Council’s plans to increase accessible open space and playing fields for use by all the community. The Redfern PCYC provides important recreation and sport activities for local young people living in the Redfern and Waterloo public housing estates. Despite commitments from previous Housing Ministers and the Department of Housing for the PCYC to retain its current site, the Department of Housing seems set to sell the site for residential development, and has no clear proposals for a replacement PCYC in Redfern. This is a short-sighted Government asset sale to meet the needs of a chronically under-funded public housing sector. It follows the NSW PCYC’s own asset stripping, which saw the sale of the Paddington PCYC in 2003 for an estimated $7 million, with a paltry $1.4M preserved in total to upgrade remaining PCYCs in our area, Woolloomooloo, South Sydney and Maroubra. If the State Government is not prepared to retain the PCYC in its current Redfern site, it could ensure a new facility in the old Redfern Public School. The NSW Department of Education and Training and the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) this week announced an exciting project to transform the school into a centre of cultural, social and sporting excellence for Aboriginal youth. The PCYC and the Aboriginal Centre would be a good natural fit. It is a practical solution to ensure the future of the PCYC that I suggested to the ILC and the Minister for Redfern-Waterloo earlier this year. CITY SUPPORT FOR PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE APPEALThe City this week resolved to provide $50,000 support for the Oxfam South Asian Earthquake Appeal and to provide a City venue free of charge for a fundraiser. I encourage you to also support the appeal, as the long task of rebuilding continues. On 8 October 2005, a devastating earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale decimated the northern parts of Pakistan and India. The death toll is estimated to be over 54,000 and many more have been injured. The equivalent of Sydney’s entire population, over 4 million people, has been left homeless and faces the onset of winter snow. In some areas, over 90 per cent of infrastructure has been destroyed, leaving no communication network and little access to water. The City responded to the tsunami tragedy last December by donating $50,000 to kick start the Oxfam Tsunami Emergency Fund, and the Lord Mayor’s New Years Eve appeal mobilised community goodwill to raise more than $1 million for the appeal. I believe Council has a responsibility to provide the same generous support to the victims of the Pakistan Earthquake. Some other Sydney councils have donated funds, with more considering it. Oxfam Australia is an independent, not-for-profit, secular, community-based aid and development organisation. For every dollar donated through Oxfam, 71 cents is used to directly support programs, 23 cents is invested to generate future income to support programs and only 6 cents is spent on administration. How you can help:
TOYS ‘N’ TUCKERMy Bligh electorate office is again a collection point for Anglicare’s "Toys ‘n' Tucker" donations to families in poverty this Christmas. You can help give these families a Christmas surprise – a hamper packed with food and toys which is put together especially for each family. Toys ‘n' Tucker gift ideas include games, books, toiletry gift packs, tinned food, fruit, Christmas cakes and puddings, pasta, new clothes and wrapping paper. In the past, a generous constituent donated $200, which I used to purchase children's books at Ariel Bookshop. Ariel contributed a further $100 worth of children's books. For further information, contact the Anglicare Hotline on telephone 132 622. The Anglicare stand will be in my electorate office until Wednesday 30 November. A small donation of food or toys from you could make quite a difference to a struggling family this Christmas, and I encourage you to donate. MORE EVIDENCE ON MENTAL HEALTHThe Mental Health Council of Australia’s (MHCA) report “Not for Service” is a sad confirmation of the dire state of NSW mental health services. The report exposed NSW as severely lagging behind the other states and territories in mental health services and funding, despite recent increases. NSW has the lowest number of inpatient and the lowest number of 24 hour staffed residential beds, at 34 per 100,000 people. Our state has one of the lowest numbers of clinical staff and we come sixth out of the eight states and territories in mental health expenditure. I have been raising unacceptable situation in Parliament for several years. People who are ill cannot get ongoing treatment and community support;
clinicians, consumers and carers report the highest degree of demoralization
and dissatisfaction; and homelessness is a reality for many suffering
mental illness due to the lack of community support and accommodation.
I again discussed the need for action on mental health at my most recent meeting with the Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Mental Health), where I was also raising the urgent need for redevelopment of the Caritas inpatient facility. ROCKS TRANSIT MALL TRIAL GEARS UPA three month trial of a Transit Mall, closing George Street to private vehicles between Hickson Road and Alfred Streets in the Rocks, commenced Friday 4 November 2005. The trial was developed by the City of Sydney and the State Government, in consultation with the local community, in response to concerns about disruptive and antisocial vehicle use in the Rocks and Millers Point areas on weekends. The trial will operate on Friday and Saturday nights from 10.00 pm to 4.00 am and only taxis, buses, hire cars and emergency vehicles will be allowed access. The trial will be evaluated after three months to determine its effectiveness and if it will continue. Prominent signage has been installed to indicate to motorists the location of the Transit Mall, which will break the circuit for cars doing laps around Hickson Road. The NSW Police Force will be responsible for enforcing the Transit Mall. The Working Group which developed the plan includes representatives from the City of Sydney, NSW Police, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, the Roads and Traffic Authority, the State Transit Authority, The Rocks Chamber of Commerce, Local MP Sandra Nori, the Millers Point Residents Action Group and RESNET. EVENT ALERT!
WWW.CLOVERMOORE.COMClover's eNews is a regular update to keep the community informed on important issues, events and campaigns. To join the free email subscription list, email clover@clovermoore.com with SUBSCRIBE eNEWS in the subject and your name, email address and suburb in the body of the email. You can also subscribe here on line. — Clover Moore, Independent Member for Bligh |
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