Redfern Aboriginal Medical Service seeks aid; archbishops decline

The progressive Kennedy continued fighting for the cause, one of many sources of friction with the ultraconservative Pell. Kennedy was unable to secure an agreement before he died in 2005 but his good friend Danny Gilbert has been trying ever since.

Gilbert, the chairman of top-tier corporate law firm Gilbert + Tobin, has spent more than 25 years sending letters to Pell and later Fisher outlining the case for transferring ownership to the AMS.

“Ted – together with the remarkable Mum Shirl and numerous other Catholic women and men – forged a relationship between Aboriginal people and the Catholic Church in Sydney unlike anything seen before or since,” Gilbert told the Herald.

“The opportunity to honour that legacy has been staring the church in the face for more than 30 years. Gifting the old school property to the Aboriginal Medical Service would not be an act of charity – it would be an act of justice and fidelity to the church’s own spiritual and pastoral life.”

Gilbert’s latest entreaty included a lengthy report into the building’s history and potential future under Redfern’s Aboriginal custodians.

The letter was addressed to Archbishop Fisher, but he did not respond personally. Instead, Michael Digges, the executive director of administration and finance for the archdiocese, replied in January saying it was “not possible” to gift 36 Turner Street because it forms part of the “stable patrimony” of the St Vincent de Paul Church in Redfern. Stable patrimony is a term the Church uses to describe assets that provide financial security through future preservation of value.

In a 2017 letter, the then-Vicar General Gerald Gleeson said the archdiocese could not accede to the request in part because of the “parlous financial state” of the parish, which he claimed was at that point $1.1 million in debt. He also invoked “demographic changes” occurring in Redfern and claimed it was “unclear” whether the suburb would remain a suitable location for the AMS. He even said a rent-free lease would no longer be possible, although the church has since offered the property for a peppercorn annual fee.

Bellear vowed the service would go nowhere else. “This is an Aboriginal landmark in Sydney,” she said. “This will always be a health site. The issue is that we are full to the brim.”

Fisher declined the Herald’s request for an interview. A spokesperson for the archdiocese said the parish “has always and will continue to support” the AMS.

“This has never been in doubt,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the AMS proposal would require a complex subdivision of the land because the site included the heritage-listed parish church, a shared driveway, and adjoining buildings, “all together making the concept of subdivision impractical”.

However, the AMS last year engaged town planners to study the site. In contrast to the claims of the church, the lengthy examination of town planning and heritage issues confirmed a subdivision was possible to enable the AMS to own the former church building.

The archdiocese spokesperson did not address questions about whether it accepted that retaining the property limited the ability of the AMS to seek capital grants and expand services.

“As the property cannot be subdivided and gifted, the parish has not been charging any rent to AMS and offering the alternative of a 10-year lease with holding over provisions on a peppercorn rental for several years now,” the spokesperson said.

“This would provide both affordability and the security of tenure that would enable AMS to seek capital grants to extend its services. This solution can be implemented immediately and would enable the good work of AMS to continue uninterrupted.”

The Herald sought the archbishop’s response to criticism that this decision represents a missed opportunity for reconciliation. The spokesperson would not say whether the archbishop would accept an offer to tour the AMS.

Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek, whose federal electorate covers Redfern, told the Herald she would “love” to see the archdiocese agree to help.

“Giving the AMS certainty about its future would help protect an institution that has meant so much to so many people, and ensure it can keep delivering these services for generations to come.”

Gilbert said the church has a rare chance to do good for people who most need it. “Reconciliation demands more than words. It demands action. It is long past time for the archdiocese to make this gift.”

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important stories. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.