Howard's Shame – a Sad Day for Redfern
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the south sydney herald is available online: www.southsydneyherald.com.au FREE printed edition every month to 21,000+ regular readers. VOLUME ONE NUMBER FIFTY-ONE MAY’07 CIRCULATION 21,000 ALEXANDRIA BEACONSFIELD CHIPPENDALE DARLINGTON ERSKINEVILLE KINGS CROSS NEWTOWN REDFERN SURRY HILLS WATERLOO WOOLLOOMOOLOO ZETLAND THE ‘WAR BUNNIES ON ON DRUGS’ THE HOP! WHY BAD POLICY IS GOOD POLITICS THE NEW MOMENTUM THE WAYSIDE DEBATE PAGE 11 PAGE 16 Darlington kids take it to the Bridge! Reem Al-Gharabally ‘Advance Australia Fair’ sung met 82-year-old Mary Fulton who by Australian idol runner-up crossed the bridge as a 9-year-old The Sydney Harbour Bridge is Jessica Mauboy. at the opening ceremony. part of the history of Darlington “We did a lot of study on Ms Wright who has been teach- Public School as one of the two bridges prior to the ceremony ing at the school for 11 years says schools that took part in the and the children found it very she loves working at Darlington opening ceremony in 1932. inspiring because the bridge is because of the school’s diversity. The school was again invited such an icon and also a lesson “Darlington is a very accept- to participate at the bridge’s 75th in machinery and how things ing, loving, enthusiastic school,” anniversary celebrations in March work,” says Year 5 and 6 teacher she says. “Our school reflects this year. Judith Wright. “The icing on the the essence of public education Twenty-five children from Years cake was that they sang in the and it does that by the fact that 5 and 6 sang in the choir along- ceremony. The children were so it is totally inclusive. It doesn’t side the children of Chatswood happy and excited.” matter what your academic level Public school, who also took part The children traded the school’s is, or economic background. in the bridge’s opening ceremony. red jerseys for t-shirts in rainbow Everyone here believes every child They sang the national anthem hues which were worn by the is entitled to the best that can and took part in the chorus of children’s choir on the day. They be offered.” Students from Darlington Public School with Jessica Mauboy Photo: Pam Hubbard Howard’s shame – a sad day for Redfern As we have been reporting, the Redfern Community Employment Development Program faces the axe by July this year because the Federal Government is convinced that the CEDP is not an appropriate way of putting Aboriginal people into full-time employment. Trevor Davies Aboriginal employment, there is no on the Block has used the services way that circumstances will be the of the CEDP participants as security This in spite of the fact that the same everywhere. since the opening of the Centre. The former Minister, Kevin Andrews, put As we go to press the Redfern Centre’s Manager, Beth Jewell said: out a press release on 20 October, CEDP people are working out the “We have had three caretakers from 2006 saying that the CEDP program implications, but the word is that the Redfern Aboriginal Corporation was fantastic – a program which the program will definitely be over (RAC) since Redfern Community had been working since 1977. in June. Even though they have Centre opened in March 2004 and Then, all of a sudden on the 6th of been encouraged to bid for the new they have been invaluable. The November, the CEDP would be axed employment program, they have local Aboriginal workers have and Aboriginal employment would no certainty of getting the funding. helped achieve our great success by be mainstreamed. They are concerned about how they performing front-of-house duties and The Lord Mayor, Redfern Residents will pay redundancies to all staff and working with the community. The for Reconciliation and the Federal are waiting for the Commonwealth caretakers have kept a watch out for Member for Sydney, as well as oth- to advise whether they will fund the staff, building and families who ers, lobbied the Federal Government redundancies. use the Centre.” intensively. Tanya Plibersek even The Lord Mayor said in one of Arthur Bundock, one of the spoke in the adjournment debate in her weekly email updates: “In inner participants, told us that he is con- the House and argued passionately Sydney, the Redfern Aboriginal Cor- cerned about whether some of the for the retention of Redfern CEDP. poration (RAC) has operated CDEP participants will be able to handle Then Redfern CEDP met with Liberal since 1991 with employment support life after the CEDP since they will Senator and Chippendale resident for up to 100 participants at a time. have to work with Centrelink and it Marise Payne, in her parliamentary While the RAC assists participants to has very strict compliance standards office in Sydney. obtain mainstream employment and which may mean people could find All the good people of Redfern provides mentoring services once themselves without any income for wanted was some flexibility. employed, it also helps those unable months at a time. The argument was that the changes to get mainstream employment. One local commented: “In spite of that were proposed may suit some I share community concern that all the evidence the CEDP program in people but were not for all – they removing CDEP from inner Sydney Redfern is doing good things and, up were simply asking for flexibility. will deny disadvantaged Indigenous till recently, the Government agreed This is exactly what the Howard Australians access to specialist with this view. Because of purely Government claims to be supporting programs and support.” political ideology, Redfern CEDP is Arthur Bundock at the Redfern Community Centre Photo: Andrew Collis in the Industrial Relations area. In The Redfern Community Centre history. It’s a sad day for Redfern!” Support Independent Media! SSH fundraiser/concert: 8 July 4–8pm at Australian Technology Park with Jackie Orszaczky, Café of the Gate of Salvation, Wire MC …arts/crafts, food, drinks, media personalities and more… PAGE 7 The South Sydney Herald – May 2007 PUBLISHER South Sydney Uniting Church Raglan Street, Waterloo News 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 necessarily the views of the Uniting Church. South Sydney Community Aid at 40: ADVERTISING [email protected] Ben Falkenmire 0400 139 710 MAILING ADDRESS: Help write the history! PO Box 2360 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 SSH LETTERS Please send letters and emails to: When you have been working The South Sydney Herald. Email: [email protected] within a community for 40 years, Supply sender name and suburb. there will be stories to tell. University Size: 150 words or less. of Technology Sydney Shopfront stu- We may edit for legal or other reasons. dents are currently writing a history of the South Sydney Community Aid Co-op, including a history of events which have taken place within the community over the past 40years EDITORIAL COMMITTEE – events that have evolved the agenda and services for the Co-op. Looking forward, the South Sydney Community Aid Co-operative Ltd (SSCA) is truly grateful to Clover Moore and the City of Sydney Council for giving it 3 years of tenancy at a nominal rate in the Alexandria Town Hall so that it may go on serving the community. Looking back, from the beginnings Managing Editor Andrew Collis in the, then, St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Regent Street Redfern, the staff are keen to collect a 40-year history of such service. They know that, in 1967, the Good Neighbour Council of Redfern identified a Manager Jhan Leach outside original home of South Sydney Community Aid Photo: Ali Blogg desperate need to provide a service for the local community to meet the Department of Community dria and the broader City of Sydney people within our community and the needs of multicultural people Services. Local Government areas. to provide them with a list of current migrating to the area who had no The organisation is 39 years old To coincide with the launch of issues and concerns. service provision. and is proud to be celebrating its its 40-year history it will be holding CO-Editor Dorothy McRae-McMahon In 1968 the SSCA was established 40th birthday in 2008. As part of its three workshops at the Alexandria and in that year held its first AGM. year-long celebration in 2008 it would Town Hall for individuals and organi- The South Sydney Community Aid Co-Op Funding for the service was provided like to invite other government and sations wanting to have a broader invites people who were involved with its by the Department of Immigration. non-government agencies to join understanding of issues and concerns organisation over the past 40 years and It currently has 89 members and with it by presenting information and related to Global Multiculturalism those wanting to provide information for individuals and organisations are ideas at information sharing sessions and the Culturally And Linguistically the Global Multiculturalism sharing and welcome to join. to be held during the year, focusing Diverse issues for organisations and information sessions to make contact. South Sydney Community Aid on Global Multiculturalism. individuals. Multicultural Neighbourhood Centre The Multicultural Neighbourhood Through this exchange and sharing Please contact Jhan Leach Manager on (SSCA-MNC) is now auspiced by Centre services the communities of of information the SSCA hopes to be 9319 4073 or write to SSCA-MNC c/- South Sydney Community Aid Redfern able to advise the Government on P.O.Box 3199 Redfern 2016.