Perth Voice Interactive

BAYSWATER councillors are feuding over a decision to appoint an independent arborist before cutting down any more trees.

Cr Terry Kenyon says it’s a necessary move after the backlash that followed the axing of several century-old trees at Halliday Park without community consultation (Voice, November 21, 2014).

But Cr Mike Sabatino says the decision is effectively a vote of no-confidence in the ability of council staff to decide which trees should come down. “We have people on the city staff who have dealt with trees for over 25 years and who have a wealth of experience,” Cr Sabatino says.

“Now we’re telling them how to suck eggs—it’s insulting.”

Cr Kenyon says the decision, “will ensure that we engage with the community and investigate ways of retaining the trees before we vote to remove them”. “We are the ‘Garden City’ and trees are close to the heart of many ratepayers in the city.”

Council technical director Doug Pearson got tetchy as councillors queried the qualifications of his staff: “We don’t have a qualified arborist on staff, but we have a variety of experienced people, some with up to 30 years’ experience in the forestry and tree sector,” he said.

Cr Chris Cornish says the new policy complements the council’s recent decision to boost its tree canopy to 20 per cent by 2025: “Now we have a policy to plant the trees, and a policy to protect the ones that are already there,” he says. “The trees belong to the whole community and we should consult widely about removal, not just with the one or two people who lives opposite the tree on the verge.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK