Decision details

Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by the Chair (the Lord Mayor) -

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council note:

(i)          that the Redfern and Waterloo areas have been home to Aboriginal people for more than 60,000 years;

(ii)         it is where the Aboriginal civil rights movement began and where many actions for self-determination took place such as the 1938 Day of Mourning, the 1965 Freedom Ride, and the ongoing struggle for Land Rights;

(iii)        many Aboriginal community members still live in social housing in Redfern and Waterloo and the Aboriginal services they access are still there;

(iv)       the gentrification of inner Sydney suburbs has meant that historically working-class suburbs such as Redfern and Waterloo have become highly desirable suburbs in the 'property market', with rent hikes pushing out the Aboriginal people who were living in these suburbs. Aboriginal people working in Aboriginal services cannot afford to live in the community where they work. Aboriginal people who are starting in employment and training on modest incomes are forced to leave the community due to the increasing cost of living in the area;

(v)         the City has secured a 25 per cent target for Aboriginal housing with St George Community Housing for the Marion St Redfern housing complex currently under construction, equating to 40 units;

(vi)       the new Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan at 16.2 and 16.3 supports investigating and advocating for the inclusion of culturally appropriate social and affordable housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households as part of the development of the Waterloo estate; and

(vii)      at the 21 September 2020 Council meeting, it was agreed unanimously to support the motion to support the Redfern Waterloo Aboriginal Affordable Housing Campaign seeking:

(a)        10 per cent of all redevelopment on government land in Redfern/Waterloo to be Aboriginal affordable housing; and

(b)        an increase in Aboriginal social housing in partnership with an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation;

(B)        Council recognise the January 2019 State Government proposal in their preferred Master Plan for Waterloo for 30 per cent social, 65 per cent market and five per cent affordable housing;

(C)       further to this, Council recognise that access to affordable housing is essential for a diverse, inclusive, cohesive, and economically successful city. The City of Sydney's City Plan 2036 - City of Sydney Local Strategic Planning Statement and Housing for All - City of Sydney Local Housing Strategy both identify the need for Aboriginal housing in Redfern/Waterloo in particular;

(D)       Council commits:

(i)          to strongly advocate for public housing tenants living in the Redfern/Waterloo area that is due for urban renewal to be offered affordable or social housing within the City of Sydney local government area for the duration of the redevelopment;

(ii)         to work to ensure any new or renewed partnerships with community housing providers to manage City-owned affordable housing, or affordable housing developed from City-owned land or land provided to affordable housing providers with in-kind support from the City of Sydney, delivers ten per cent Aboriginal Affordable Housing;

(iii)        to increasing Aboriginal employment in the provision of ongoing Council services, both contracted or in-house, in the Redfern/Waterloo area; and

(iv)       to culturally appropriate design and community consultation being built into any City tenders and contracts that are part of the overall area redevelopment projects; and

(E)        the Lord Mayor and Chief Executive Officer be requested to formally advise the NSW Government of these decisions.

Carried unanimously.

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