John Stapleton
THE brand new houses built for aboriginal people at the Block in
Sydney's inner-city Redfern, with their gleaming knobs and fresh
paint, were a source of much fascination for the poor white residents
in the surrounding streets.
"It was Gough Whitlam who was in charge of it," Joyce Larkin, 80,
recalls. "My husband said, they're building these nice houses for the
aborigines. We went up to have a look. They were lovely; beautiful
little terraces. I would have lived in one."
Now, more than 30 years on, those same houses are derelict, the
windows smashed or boarded up, the neglected gardens full of rubbish,
the doors wrenched off after successive drug raids. Many are burnt
out. The utopian dreams of Whitlam and his cabinet to grant
aboriginals self-determination, to give them back their land and
create a source of indigenous pride in the heart of Sydney, are
literally in ashes.
While still owned by the Aboriginal Housing Company only 16 families
remain living on the Block. At night a loose band of intinerants
gather around a fire, sharing a bottle, laughing or arguing.
It is the view behind a large wall painted with the yellow, ochre and
black of the aborginal flag which gives the key to the value of this
strategic site. Centrelink Tower, World Square and the chunks of the
city's skyscraper all demonstrate the close proximity of the CBD and
one simple truth. In private hands this site would be worth hundreds
of millions of dollars.
This Thursday action gorup REDWatch, local churches and ALP branches
are holding a candle light vigil outside the offices of Frank Sartor,
the Minister responsible for the Redfern Waterloo Authority,
protesting what they see as the governments efforts to remove black
faces from the Block altogether. Distrust and accusations of racism
government thuggery are flying thick and fast.
Last week the state government declared the Block and other parts of
Redfern to be of "state significance" and gazetted planning controls
from Sydney Council. Frank Sartor, the minister responsible for the
Redfern Waterloo Authority, the body vested with the job of
rejuvenating the blighted district, has completel control over the
future of the Block.
His vision, which does not include aboriginal housing, clashes
directly with the "traditional owners" of the land.
The Aboriginal Housing Company has drawn up aspirational view plans
for the "Pemulwuy Project", so named after an aboriginal warrior. They
will need all the strength of the ancestors to defeat the state
government and implement their plans.
In sharp contrast to its present derelict state, architect drawings
show an aspirational world view for The Boock; a wide European style
plaza greets commuters as they exit Redfern train station. Behind the
plaza, with its cafes and shops seling aboriginal art, is an
aboriginal college and a unique aboriginal business incubator.
As part of the Pemulwuy Project the Housing Company plans
accommodation for 62 families, a mixture of priave and public housing
as well; as emergency accommodation. Sixty two is significant. It is
the same number of families in the Gadigal tribe there in 1788. Within
a few years of European conquest they are believed to have all died of
smallpox.
It is the housing which horrifies the state government.
A spokeswoman for Frank Sartor said the government does not believe
the plan to reconstruct the 62 houses will work.
"Focussing those high dependency dwellings or tenancies on the block
would just be a re-run of past mistakes," she said. "The Minister has
committed to finding the balance of those 62 tenancies in the area. He
thinks it should be used for a range of purposes, cultural,
educational, so that it can become a positive icon for the aboriginal
community and the whole of sydney; a place where you could buy
aboriginal art, not just a place of housing."
This stance places the Carr government on a collission course with the
aboriginal community and has ignited opposition against the state
government. which stands acused of racism and thuggery as it once
more steals land from aboriginal people.
Community group REDWatch has said passing planning control to Sartor,
who has declared he does not want aboriginal housing on the Block, to
be highly provocative.
"Aborigines have historically been pushed off their land by powerful
colonisers. Now the Redfern Waterloo Authority want to develop Redfern
they want to use the State's power to push them off again. But this is
a special place for Aborigine people and they will not give up control
of this place," said REDWatch spokesman Geoffrey Turnbull. "It isw
clear with the Authority taking planning control of private land
around The Block and to the East of Redfern Station that the Authority
has big plans for redeveloping the area which have not been disclosed
to the community. The Block is in the way of those plans."
Feelings are also running high in inner-city ALP branches, which are
supporting the candle light vigil against Sartor and see the moves to
keep aboriginal housing off the Block as contrary to Labor principles.
Long time Labor supporter and Secretary of the local Darlington branch
said: "I am today ashamed to be a member of the ALP. This is an
unprincipled land grab.
"There has been furious reaction from the local ALP brnach members,
many of whom have been very staunch over many years. This is one of
the most left wing precincts in the country and we are concerned about
our electoral chances in the inner city over the nexty couple of
decades.
ANOTHER VERSION
THE brand new houses built for aboriginal people at the Block in
Sydney's inner-city Redfern, with their gleaming knobs and fresh
paint, were a source of much fascination for the poor white residents
in the surrounding streets.
"It was Gough Whitlam who was in charge of it," Joyce Larkin, 80,
recalls. "My husband said, they're building these nice houses for the
aborigines. We went up to have a look. They were lovely; beautiful
little terraces. I would have lived in one."
Now, more than 30 years on, those same houses are derelict, the
windows smashed or boarded up, the neglected gardens full of rubbish,
the doors wrenched off after successive drug raids. Many are burnt
out. The utopian dreams of Whitlam and his cabinet to grant
aboriginals self-determination, to give them back their land and
create a source of indigenous pride in the heart of Sydney, are
literally in ashes.
While still owned by the Aboriginal Housing Company only 16 families
remain living on the Block. At night a loose band of intinerants
gather around a fire, sharing a bottle, laughing or arguing.
It is the view behind a large wall painted with the yellow, ochre and
black of the aborginal flag which gives the key to the value of this
strategic site. Centrelink Tower, World Square and the chunks of the
city's skyscraper all demonstrate the close proximity of the CBD and
one simple truth. In private hands this site would be worth hundreds
of millions of dollars.
This Thursday action gorup REDWatch, local churches and ALP branches
are holding a candle light vigil outside the offices of Frank Sartor,
the Minister responsible for the Redfern Waterloo Authority,
protesting what they see as the governments efforts to remove black
faces from the Block altogether. Distrust and accusations of racism
government thuggery are flying thick and fast.
Last week the state government declared the Block and other parts of
Redfern to be of "state significance" and gazetted planning controls
from Sydney Council. Frank Sartor, the minister responsible for the
Redfern Waterloo Authority, the body vested with the job of
rejuvenating the blighted district, has completel control over the
future of the Block.
His vision, which does not include aboriginal housing, clashes
directly with the "traditional owners" of the land.
The Aboriginal Housing Company has drawn up aspirational view plans
for the "Pemulwuy Project", so named after an aboriginal warrior. They
will need all the strength of the ancestors to defeat the state
government and implement their plans.
In sharp contrast to its present derelict state, architect drawings
show an aspirational world view for The Boock; a wide European style
plaza greets commuters as they exit Redfern train station. Behind the
plaza, with its cafes and shops seling aboriginal art, is an
aboriginal college and a unique aboriginal business incubator.
As part of the Pemulwuy Project the Housing Company plans
accommodation for 62 families, a mixture of priave and public housing
as well; as emergency accommodation. Sixty two is significant. It is
the same number of families in the Gadigal tribe there in 1788. Within
a few years of European conquest they are believed to have all died of
smallpox.
It is the housing which horrifies the state government.
A spokeswoman for Frank Sartor said the government does not believe
the plan to reconstruct the 62 houses will work.
"Focussing those high dependency dwellings or tenancies on the block
would just be a re-run of past mistakes," she said. "The Minister has
committed to finding the balance of those 62 tenancies in the area. He
thinks it should be used for a range of purposes, cultural,
educational, so that it can become a positive icon for the aboriginal
community and the whole of sydney; a place where you could buy
aboriginal art, not just a place of housing."
This stance places the Carr government on a collission course with the
aboriginal community and has ignited opposition against the state
government. which stands acused of racism and thuggery as it once
more steals land from aboriginal people.
Community group REDWatch has said passing planning control to Sartor,
who has declared he does not want aboriginal housing on the Block, to
be highly provocative.
"Aborigines have historically been pushed off their land by powerful
colonisers. Now the Redfern Waterloo Authority want to develop Redfern
they want to use the State's power to push them off again. But this is
a special place for Aborigine people and they will not give up control
of this place," said REDWatch spokesman Geoffrey Turnbull. "It isw
clear with the Authority taking planning control of private land
around The Block and to the East of Redfern Station that the Authority
has big plans for redeveloping the area which have not been disclosed
to the community. The Block is in the way of those plans."
Feelings are also running high in inner-city ALP branches, which are
supporting the candle light vigil against Sartor and see the moves to
keep aboriginal housing off the Block as contrary to Labor principles.
Long time Labor supporter and Secretary of the local Darlington branch
said: "I am today ashamed to be a member of the ALP. This is an
unprincipled land grab.
"There has been furious reaction from the local ALP brnach members,
many of whom have been very staunch over many years. This is one of
the most left wing precincts in the country and we are concerned about
our electoral chances in the inner city over the nexty couple of
decades.
ANOTHER VERSION
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