SSH September 2020
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ONLY CONNECT SOCIAL JUSTICE PAGE 6 REVIEW PAGES 9-10 READ SSH ONLINE SOUTHSYDNEYHERALD.COM.AU FREE PRINTED EDITION EVERY MONTH TO 10,000+ REGULAR READERS Number One Hundred and Ninety Six ~ September 2020 Circulation 10,000 ~ First Published 2002 ALEXANDRIA | BEACONSFIELD | CHIPPENDALE | DARLINGTON | ERSKINEVILLE | EVELEIGH | GLEBE | NEWTOWN | PADDINGTON | POTTS POINT | REDFERN | ROSEBERY | SURRY HILLS | ULTIMO | WATERLOO | WOOLLOOMOOLOO | ZETLAND Calls for premier to implement legislation to end modern slavery HUMAN AFFAIRS AMY CHENG A consortium of more than 117 organisations has come together to urge the NSW premier to put into force the Modern Slavery Act by January next year. In a letter addressed to Gladys Berejiklian, the consortium, which also included academics, lawyers and community and faith leaders, expressed its concerns over further delays in implementing the Act. Carolyn Kitto, co-director of Be Slavery Free, a global coalition working to prevent, abolish and disrupt modern slavery, said there are more slaves in the world today than any other time in history. “Every day, 25,200 people, as a guestimate, enter slavery. So, every day that this is delayed, NSW, which is the seventh largest economy in Asia, loses an opportunity to set a standard about ending modern slavery.” Ms Kitto, one of the signatories of the letter, believes the Act, if put into force, will help end slavery in the supply chain. “It’s estimated that 70 to 80 per cent of slavery is actually in the supply chain of the goods that we buy, and we’ve been an importing country,” she said. Image: Sam McNair “Our manufacturing is largely offshore, and so asking vulnerable, because they’re deceived, tricked or coerced into businesses to check their supply women, because they’re children, what they’re doing,” Ms Kitto said. chains sends a message that we because they’re poor and because “Their freedom is withheld in are not only interested in profit, they’re desperate,” Ms Kitto said. some kind of way so they can’t we’re also interested in people.” “So, any opportunity, people leave … and the third thing is The Act will make it riskier are more likely to take a job that they’re exploited for the and less lucrative to use that has less protection and benefit of another person.” forms of modern slavery, standards, and therefore they’re There is no globally agreed according to Ms Kitto. more open to exploitation.” definition of modern slavery. The Covid-19 pandemic has People are also more desperate According to Be Slavery Free, there brought about additional concerns. during these times, she said. are eight crimes associated with The restrictions put in place have “If children can’t go to school, it, including human trafficking, made it easier for businesses families may be more tempted slavery, servitude, forced to hide things, she said. to put them into work.” labour, debt bondage, deceptive For example, a factory could Sometimes, modern slavery recruitment, forced marriage and Carolyn Kitto (second left) from Be Slavery Free delivers a letter urging the premier to implement the Modern refuse to let its workers leave is not detected because it’s been worst forms of child labour. Slavery Act by January 2020. Photo: Supplied the building to protect them referred to as something else, such The NSW Modern Slavery Act and others from getting the as wage theft or sex with a minor was passed in 2018 but is yet to be requested a meeting on four The letter was delivered to the virus. However, under normal rather than forced marriage. put into force. It is unclear to Ms occasions and it’s been denied. premier on July 20; there has been conditions, restricting people’s “Modern slavery is an umbrella Kitto what the cause of delay is. I’ve never had this experience no response yet. Ms Kitto said the movements would be considered term which covers a range of “It seems to us that everything in my life before because it’s premier has 28 days to respond. S an act of modern slavery. crimes … These crimes have three in the democratic process and part of a politician’s job to “People who end up in slavery things in common: the person who more has been done,” she said. meet with members of their To support the campaign, see are there because they’re ends up in that situation has been “My local member, I’ve electorate, and they’re not.” www.beslaveryfree.com/nsw-msa 2 NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSN 2652-4538 PUBLISHER South Sydney Uniting Church Raglan Street, Waterloo. The views expressed in this newspaper are those of the author and the article and are not necessarily the views of the Uniting Church. NEWS [email protected] Phone Lyn 0400 008 338 ADVERTISING [email protected] MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 3288 Redfern NSW 2016 A new social sustainability report for the redevelopment of the Waterloo estate touches on important issues but LETTERS does not offer a clear plan. Photo: Elton Consulting Please send letters and emails to: The South Sydney Herald. Email: [email protected] Supply sender name and suburb. Size: 150 words or less. We may edit for legal or other reasons. Delivering social FOUNDING EDITOR Trevor Davies (25.5.1956 – 14.6.2011) MANAGING EDITOR outcomes in Marjorie Lewis-Jones ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Collis NEWS EDITOR Waterloo South Lyn Turnbull ASSISTANT EDITOR Louisa Dyce large gaps in communication in ARTS & FESTIVALS URBAN DESIGN Anna North Waterloo. A newsletter in January BOOKS DAVID LILLEY 2019 explained that a preferred Catherine DeMayo masterplan for the estate had EDUCATION Melinda Kearns FIVE years after the been prepared and described its ENVIRONMENT announcement that the Waterloo attributes. The next newsletter Miriam Pepper Estate will be redeveloped, a was published in June 2020, HUMAN AFFAIRS Social Sustainability Report nearly 18 months later. This Sunrise over Redfern, May 19. Photo: Featogrefi Allison Forrest has just been released to newsletter described the results FAITH Dorothy McRae-McMahon the public. Its purpose is to of a new planning process that HEALTH look at how to “maximise related to only part of the estate. Megan Weier positive social outcomes for There were no newsletters in LEGAL & FOOD Maidie Wood current, neighbouring and between to explain that revisions Support for Redfern LOCALS likely future communities were being made, why this Adrian Spry through the project”. was happening, how long it THEATRE would take, or how community Catherine Skipper Fire Station crew FILM The report touches on many members might be involved. Lindsay Cohen important issues, including the Over the past five years MUSIC need for community development, millions of dollars in staff time We need more rescue Tess Ridgway COMMENT a human services plan, new and consulting fees have been professionals in our City, SPORT & FITNESS Steve Turner community facilities, consistent spent planning for redevelopment. LINDA SCOTT not fewer. URBAN DESIGN communication, ongoing Unfortunately, there has not In 2019, Redfern Fire Station Geoff Turnbull resident engagement, and place been comparable effort to sustain THE NSW government needs to celebrated the very first all- SUB EDITORS Cathie Harrison making. However, there are the health and wellbeing of the commit to increasing fire and Indigenous platoon of permanent Melinda Kearns few specific commitments or community, despite it being a rescue services in the City of firefighters at Redfern and their DISTRIBUTION timeframes. Most of the issues period of significant uncertainty. Sydney, and rule out any cuts to story and connection to the [email protected] and actions are intended to be While it is not an exhaustive stations or services. community was featured by DESIGN taken up by a private developer list, here are eight things SBS News. GasolineGroup | www.gasolinegroup.com.au who is yet to be appointed. the NSW Land and Housing If current global warming City residents have always PRINTER Politicians and staff associated Corporation can do to support continues, the frequency been so proud of our Redfern Spotpress Pty Ltd | www.spotpress.com with the project are fond of the health and wellbeing of of extreme-heat days in the Station crew, and their “We gratefully acknowledge the saying that it applies the lessons the community, consistent City of Sydney local area will connection to our communities. many volunteer contributors and distributors who make this of previous redevelopments, with the Social Sustainability increase from three days a year Redfern Fire Station is 120 years publication possible.” including those in Minto, report recommendations. in 2015 to 15 days a year in old and thriving – long may it REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Bonnyrigg, Airds, and Riverwood. Articulate the social outcomes 2070. Higher temperatures will continue to serve our diverse Alice Anderson Patricia Morgan David Angell Peter Murphy However, the Social Sustainability the project is intended to achieve increase the likelihood of fires. and growing City communities. Adam Antonelli Thea Ormerod Report makes no mention of and explain how current and As the impact of climate I’m proud to have successfully George Barrett Julie Patterson Andrew Chuter Miriam Pepper any of these projects, or the future work is designed to change worsens, the City’s moved for the City of Sydney Philippa Clark Stephen Pickells Pat Clarke Sue Plyde extensive research that has deliver these outcomes. growing population will Council to unanimously resolve Lindsay Cohen Tess Ridgway been conducted on them. Commit to a regular cycle of rely more heavily on the to support the continuation Gregg Dobson Heather Robinson Louisa Dyce Stafford Sanders Clear evidence is available newsletters and other forms of support of our fire and rescue of fire and rescue services in Rosalind Flatman Nina Serova regarding the importance of communication, to ensure that professionals.