Redfern housing project a step closer

By Alex Giblin

The Pemulwuy Project to redevelop the Block in Redfern has been given a shot in the arm.

Councillor Marcelle Hoff issued a Notice of Motion at the council meeting of Monday 21 June, proposing the transfer of lands to the Aboriginal Housing Company for a fee of $10.

Aboriginal Housing Company CEO Michael Mundine said redevelopment of the Block would help a generation of Aboriginal children escape a vicious cycle.

“It’s time to turn around,” Mr Mundine said.

The Pemulwuy project would help the community to begin “laying a platform and good foundation for next generation’s children,” he said.

“I think it’s time now for our people to stop blaming other people.”

Ownership of the land would be transferred provided that the Aboriginal Housing Company begins development within two years, according to the proposal. Failing that, the value of the land would become payable to council.

The proposal includes transfer of a narrow, unnamed laneway behind Eveleigh Street “as a concrete gesture in the Reconciliation process and to allow for the successful delivery of the Pemulwuy Project Redfern”.

Councillor Hoff said: “In order to consolidate their concept plan they needed this little laneway.”

The laneway is a “dunny lane” about one metre wide. It is owned by the council and is registered as a functioning laneway by the Roads and Traffic Authority.

“In order for them to get it from us . . . it has to be closed as a laneway, and that has to go through the RTA, so nothing’s simple,” Cr Hoff said, adding that the RTA often takes a year to close a road or street.

She said that the laneway is unsuitable for traffic and has been unused for many years.

“This is very obviously not one that people would need to get used to being closed,” she said.

In the last 40 years, Cr Hoff said, “the Aboriginal Housing Company’s consolidated its holdings but also hasn’t had the money to redevelop.”

It is unclear at the moment where that money would come from.