[North Eveleigh] Plibersek on Federal Housing Policy - 5 June / Waterloo / Explorer Street / LES

[REDWatch Spokesperson]

Dear REDWatch members, supporters and agencies,


Tanya Plibersek - Federal Government's Housing Policy - 5 June 2023 6pm Alexandria Town Hall

No REDWatch meeting on Thursday 1st June

Reading the Waterloo redevelopment tea leaves

Explorer Street public housing rezoning set to continue

Large Erecting Shop (LES) Response to Submissions
Please note - this email contains hyperlinks. This means that if you see a blue underlined word or phrase that you can click on it and go directly to a document or to get more information.
Tanya Plibersek - Federal Government's Housing Policy - 5 June 2023 6pm Alexandria Town Hall
Join REDWatch to hear from the Federal Member for Sydney and Minister for Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek to discuss the Federal Government's housing policy agenda. We will also be joined by City of Sydney Councillor and President of the Australian Local Government Association Linda Scott. This meeting takes the place of our usual June REDWatch meeting.
Homelessness is increasing, rents are outpacing wage growth, and essential workers are priced out of the inner city. There is a pressing need for social and affordable housing.
The Federal Labor Government have detailed their housing reform agenda with the Housing Australia Future Fund and the National Housing Accord. What are these programs, what impact will they have on the housing crisis, and how will the Federal Government work with the NSW Government to increase social and affordable housing?
In an article on the South Sydney Herald Website, REDWatch Secretary, Adam Antonelli has provided some background to the housing issue in Will we finally see the housing reforms we sorely need?<https://southsydneyherald.com.au/will-we-finally-see-the-housing-reforms-we-sorely-need/>
You can help promote the event by downloading the Flyer<http://www.redwatch.org.au/eventnotice/230605redwp/at_download/file> or sharing the Facebook event<https://www.facebook.com/events/775680477598786/?ref=newsfeed>.
No REDWatch meeting on Thursday 1st June
We tried to keep the meeting with Tanya on our usual meeting night but needed to change the date to suit her availability. Some come to the meeting on 5 June instead.
Reading the Waterloo redevelopment tea leaves
There is still no clarification from the NSW ALP Government about the future of the Waterloo Redevelopment. We hear that it still might be some time before there is clarity about the new government's approach as proposals are worked up and get government signoff.
What we do know is that the NSW Government is in effect extending the 30:70 model historically used by LAHC for self-funding redevelopment, to all surplus government land with a view to provide 30% affordable and social housing on surplus government land. This approach is not seen by the Premier as privatisation of government land and stands to increase the supply of social and affordable housing.
The Guardian article Waterloo South public housing residents will be rehoused nearby after sale, NSW government pledges<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/17/sale-of-waterloo-south-public-housing-will-see-residents-rehoused-nearby-nsw-government-pledges> reported that "The premier, Chris Minns, last week confirmed the Waterloo sale would go ahead with "improvements" to the social and affordable housing mandates outlined by the previous government". There was no indication of what the improvements might be or how they would be funded.
The article went on to say "Minns on Tuesday repeatedly said such actions, including the sale of social housing, was not privatisation and was in line with policies taken to the election. "I don't think this meets even the loosest definition of privatisation," he said. "
Land and Housing continued work as usual in Waterloo with a consultation on the redevelopment with the Aboriginal community on 19 March under taken with Aboriginal consultancy Murawin. If you want to input into that consultation you still can at https://murawin.com.au/waterloosurvey/.
You can see the text of the flyer distributed on the day on the REDWatch website at Waterloo FAQs - 19 May 2023 Murawin and Land and Housing Corporation<http://www.redwatch.org.au/RWA/Waterloo/lahc22-23/230519lahc>. The FAQ's included some refinements in messaging about the Waterloo redevelopment, including that every effort will be made to only move you once, not everyone will move at once but in small stages, that tenants may move into vacant properties in the local area including at Waterloo Metro or the Elizabeth Street Redevelopment, and if you are in the towers it is unlikely you will have to move for 10 years.
REDWatch and other agencies have asked that the Government clarifies what will happen in Waterloo directly to tenants when the time comes, rather than through the media. In the meantime REDWatch is of the view that it is better for Government to say that they are relooking at the project and that they will let tenants know what will happen in the near future rather than saying nothing and letting the rumours and mixed messages circulate.
Explorer Street public housing rezoning set to continue
REDWatch has been advised by the Department of Planning (DPE) that it is working on the rezoning proposal for Explorer Street South Eveleigh. Last year explorer Street appeared in a media release saying that the rezoning would be handled by the DPE rather than Council.
City of Sydney Councillors were advised earlier this month that Council and LAHC would advise DPE on the rezoning through a governance group. The planning Minister is on the record as looking for sites to develop and while it is a LAHC site that will provide social housing it potentially also provides some of the market housing the Planning Minister is looking for.
REDWatch has pencilled in our July 6th Meeting with DPE so that DPE can present on the proposed rezoning and get pre exhibition feedback. Currently DPE expect to exhibit the proposed rezoning later this year, subject to approval from the Planning Minister.
Large Erecting Shop (LES) Response to Submissions
While DPE have not yet made a determination on the Mirvac / TfNSW proposed rezoning of the Response to Submissions (RtS) and additional material has been posted at www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/LES<http://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/LES>. There is no further movement in the RtS regarding a connection across the railway line to Carriageworks which TfNSW say was looked at as part of the North Eveleigh rezoning proposal. We are still waiting for TfNSW to talk to the community about the revised North Eveleigh proposal following the rezoning announcement as the Government went into caretaker mode. There is interest especially in why TfNSW considers such a connection adds no benefit to North Eveleigh and the wider precinct.
Regards,

Geoff
Geoffrey Turnbull
REDWatch Co-Spokesperson
Ph Wk: (02) 8004 1490  Mob: 0418 457 392
email: spokesperson at redwatch.org.au<mailto:spokesperson at redwatch.org.au>
web: www.redwatch.org.au<http://www.redwatch.org.au/>
FB: www.facebook.com/RedfernEveleighDarlingtonWaterlooWatch/<http://www.facebook.com/RedfernEveleighDarlingtonWaterlooWatch/>

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