Col James The architect Sarah Blasko who says that Talks about her housing is a verb new album Features – Page 9 The Review – Pages 11-14 NUMBER SEVENTY-THREE JULY ’09 CIRCULATION 22,000 ALEXANDRIA BEACONSFIELD CHIPPENDALE DARLINGTON ERSKINEVILLE GLEBE KINGS CROSS NEWTOWN REDFERN SURRY HILLS WATERLOO WOOLLOOMOOLOO ZETLAND APPROVAL PAVES THE WAY FOR PEMULWUY Andrew Packham at his Darlington newsagency Photo: Ali Blogg Newsagents in it to win it JA MES DI ACK Industry, a major Labor Party donor, is also rumoured to be interested. But the most The State Government has put the interesting bid may come in the form of a NSW Lotteries Corporation up for sale. 51/49 per cent joint partnership proposal Originally introduced in 1931 by the from the Newsagents Association. newly elected Lang Labor Government, Uneasiness about the sale of NSW the State Lottery attracted controversy Lotteries is not limited to general with many deriding the “vice” of concerns about the profit motive trumping gambling. But the State Lottery Bill community welfare. Many fear it may be was seen as the only way to solve the the death of local newsagents. Lotto sales Government’s budget problems caused are like petrol sales for newsagencies – a by the Great Depression. low-margin product that brings customers into the store where they buy higher- Selling off public assets to boost the margin items. budget bottom line has been popular The SSH spoke with local newsagents since the 1980s, but an effort to sell the to get their views. Elizabeth Boag, a Mick Mundine and his nephew with Tanya Plibersek and Kristina Keneally Photo: Esther Turnbull electricity industry last year cost both the Waterloo newsagent for 30 years, thinks NSW Premier and Treasurer their jobs. it’s vital the Newsagents Association bid L IS A MOON here in the heart of Redfern, on the he said. Although privatisation remains unpopular is successful. “Instant Scratchies being Block,” she said. The AHC has long prided itself on with many Labor MPs, the sale of NSW put in vending machines should concern The Aboriginal Housing Company is But the positive atmosphere could not being an independent organisation Lotteries looks likely to go ahead later this us all. Newsagents are the best place to celebrating a great victory – the battle ward off questions about where exactly that makes its own decisions. It is for year. The global recession is hurting the keep a friendly eye on customers who may for Pemulwuy is over. The Department funding for the project will come from. this reason that some of the Planning budget, and the pressure is on to sell off overspend,” Ms Boag said. of Planning has finally approved Peter Valilis, Project Director at the Minister’s comments left puzzled looks another public asset. Party powerbroker Andrew Packham, owner of two the AHC’s development application, AHC, has a simple explanation for on some faces. and Treasurer, Eric Roozendaal, is driving newsagencies on Abercrombie Street, marking the end of a ten-year saga to why the source of funding has not yet Ms Keneally made particular mention the push within Cabinet, and there is Darlington, is also the Director of the get the project off the ground. been confirmed. “Until the project was of the residential aspect of Pemulwuy no shortage of apparent bidders. The Newsagents Association of NSW and actually approved, there was no point as a “vibrant new use for this land”, Victorian Tattersals group, Tabcorp, and ACT (NANA). He says that the State Kristina Keneally, Minister for looking for the funds. In fact, if we which undoubtedly would have pleased Greek company, Intralot, are reported to Government has been very open and Planning, announced the good news had sought funding prior to having our the AHC. be interested. transparent throughout the bid process, at the Block in Redfern to an excited application approved, we would have Mr Valilis has described the residential G-Tech, a subsidiary of the world’s but that Treasurer Roosendaal has been crowd of locals and politicians. “It’s a left ourselves susceptible to influence component as their hardest won victory, largest lotteries firm, Lottomatica, unable to respond in any way to the step forward to creating a modern, and from governments or other potential as this posed for them the biggest would like to roll out its lottery vending partnership question due to probity issues. a vibrant, and a sustainable community financiers looking out for their interests,” – continued on page 3 machines, as it has in Italy. The Club – continued on page 8 EVELEIGH FARMERS’ MARKET SATURDAY WEEKLY 8am - 1pm An Undercover Marketplace Visit www.eveleighmarket.com.au for all details 243 Wilson St, Darlington 2 NEW S July 2009 PUBLISHER South Sydney Uniting Church Raglan Street, Waterloo Grieving and celebration: Telephone 0400 008 338 Phone/fax 02 9698 8949 The views expressed in this newspaper are those of the author and the article and are not Bill Simon’s Back on the Block necessarily the views of the Uniting Church. ADVERTISING DOROTHY MCR AE-MCMAHON to speak aloud his story. If we ever [email protected] doubt that a serious wrong was done to 0438 719 470 It was standing room only in the non-Indigenous people, we might well MAILING ADDRESS: Redfern Community Centre. After the watch their distress as they remember PO Box 2360 welcome to country by Uncle Max, what happened to them decades after the Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 Michael Mundine chaired the occasion damage was done. The terrible wounding LETTERS of the formal launching of Bill Simon’s and pain is still there. Bill told of the day Please send letters and emails to: book, Back on the Block. he and his brothers, as little children, The South Sydney Herald. were taken away by representatives of the Email: [email protected] Supply sender name and suburb. The band, Mirror Child, gave a moving Aboriginal “Welfare” Board – how they Size: 150 words or less. entry into what followed, as they sang: cried and screamed as they looked back We may edit for legal or other reasons. “When will someone listen to what and saw their mother, not sure whether we have to say?/ We were babies when she had betrayed them or someone else. we were taken away …/ You talk about When the car carrying them stopped at EDITORIAL COMMITTEE moving forward,/ but first we must look Taree, his brother Lennie was taken out behind.” and carried away. Therese Rein, who was launching the Bill was 10 years old at the time and book, was introduced. She acknowledged he remembers asking, “Why? Why? the Indigenous owners of the land, and Doesn’t our mother want us?” This then began, with genuine emotion, to question plagued him for the next 40 recall the day of the National Apology. years. His father was accused of neglect, The night before the Apology was when the reality was that he was just stormy, as though the creation itself away working. Of course, his mother wept. The Prime Minister had invited the was, in reality, devastated. They were a representatives of the Stolen Generations stable family with responsible parenting. Managing Editor Andrew Collis to meet him in the impressive courtyard However, these events meant they never outside his office. The gates swung open really recovered. and two groups of Aboriginal people He described life in the Kinchela moved in very cautiously, pausing at Home as filled with abuse and bullying, intervals to look around. Kevin Rudd said, punishment for nothing and deprivation Therese Rein autographs Bill Simon’s book Photo: Ali Blogg “Come in, you are welcome!”, and one of belongings and identity. His future was by one they anxiously moved forward. in the hands of strangers and, for eight with sadness rather than bitterness and number of other people and organisations Ms Rein said, “Behind every person years, he lost his name and became just he writes his story because he believes who had given support to the project. is a story”, and that Bill Simon’s story a number – No. 33. that: “We can’t heal the nation unless we Mirror Child sang ‘Turning the Page’, made “searing” reading. However, it was The turning point in his life came know the truth.” and there was a real sense of celebration “a story which must be told so that we when he found a faith in a kindly God, Thanks and acknowledgements were as people gathered around for the book- don’t forget”. which was healing for his life. He is now given to the co-authors of the book, Jo signing. Perhaps another step towards FEATURES EDITOR Bill Simon himself also found it hard a Pastor on The Block. He looks at his life Tuscano and Des Montgomerie, and a reconciliation had been taken. Dorothy McRae-McMahon Parking in Surry Hills Al E X FL EMING have produced almost $96 million in income. Council’s plan to implement new However, the Council has responded metered parking within Surry Hills to public criticism of the plan, claiming NEWS EDITOR has been met with fierce opposition that it is acting in the best interests of Trevor Davies from local residents and small the community. A spokesperson for the business owners. The changes will see Council, Josh Mackenzie, attempted the installation of four new parking to put the effects of the changes into meters along Commonwealth, Riley perspective, stating that the new meters and Campbell Streets, with further meant only a 2.3 per cent increase in proposed additions along Albion ticketed parking spots in the area.