A boost for businesses in Sydney’s South

City of Sydney has committed almost $130,000 to improve business and employment in the South Sydney area.

The grant for South Sydney Business Chamber is expected to strengthen the local economy with a focus on Redfern Street and Green Square Town Centre.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP highlighted how the areas have the potential to become retail hubs of Sydney.

“Redfern and Green Square are fast becoming retail destinations – we want to make sure that growth is sustainable,” she said.

Ms Moore also said there will be “a particular focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses”.

But Councillor Irene Doutney thinks it’s a good idea but is concerned the business chamber have not provided  enough information about their plans.

“I would personally like to see a lot more detail about it on what they are going to do for Aboriginal businesses,” she said.

According to the president of South Sydney Business Chamber, Mary Lynne Pidcock, this focus includes helping local businesses network with each other  through workshops.

“Our main focus is to get all the businesses in our area together and connect them with each other, allow them to do business to
business trade and support them,” she said.

Executive Officer of Redfern community group, The Factory, Michael Shreenan encourages the support.

“The grant is a welcome boost to the area and in many respects long overdue,” he said. “Existing business could do with additional help to ensure they’re meeting local demand and customer needs and assistance with marketing the area’s current vitality and diversity.”

In 2009, the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that the unemployment rate of Indigenous people living in major cities like Sydney was 19 per cent.

Mr Shreenan identifies the grant as an opportunity to change impressions of the Redfern area.

“I think if you’re not local many may not realise what’s currently on offer in this great community, and the capacity to build upon this in the future is only restrained by the limits of our imagination,” he said.

Ms Pidcock said current businesses from the area or those interested in moving into the South Sydney precinct can access the grant through the Chamber.

By Tara Blancato