Perth Voice Interactive

THE fallout over Bayswater mayor Filamena Pifferetti’s meeting with a developer linked to the operator of the City’s golf courses continued at this week’s council meeting.

Although the mayor was absent from Tuesdays meeting, councillors kept in the dark over her March meeting in Busselton with PT Bayan tried to force through a new management committee to keep an eye on the Maylands and Embleton public golf courses.

Councillor Sally Palmer moved to form the committee, which would have had three councillors and a community representative.

“Embleton and Maylands public golf courses are the very essences of the City’s jewels in the crown, yet we as councillors and ratepayers have no inclusion their reports or… knowledge of any existing or proposed plans,” Cr Palmer said.

The Voice has previously reported that hints that Bayan may have its eye on vacant land surrounding the Brickworks were not disputed by CEO Jeremy Edwards at the July council meeting (“Mayor’s trip linked to Brickworks plans,” Voice, July 27, 2024).

Cr Palmer referred to a confidential briefing councillors have had about the development, and a second one coming up, earning a point of order from colleague Josh Eveson that she was reflecting adversely on the mayor and a council decision.

The move to form a council overseer for the golf courses saw former Vincent CEO Len Kosova, now a director of consultants LK Advisory, try to shoot it down on behalf of operator TenGolf.

“In the past two years TenGolf, as you know, has invested more than $4 million in the Maylands Public Golf Course in upgrading publicly accessible amenities whilst increasing player numbers and revenue for the City of Bayswater across both golf courses,” Mr Kosova said.

“As the City’s appointed golf course operator, TenGolf is directly impacted by the proposed motion, although regrettably had no prior knowledge of it and only learned of this proposal when the agenda for tonight’s meeting was published late last week.

“In our opinion neither the report before you nor the draft terms of reference provide any clear explanation or reason for the formation of this committee, except that we note the committee of this nature previously existed but was disbanded by council more than 10 years ago and has not operated since.”

Mr Kosova said there were plenty of ways councillors could learn about how the two courses were fairing, including annual reports and regular minuted briefings.

Cr Palmer said concerns about the management committee were unfounded.

“The people who know most are concerned this proposed committee may disrupt future plans for the City’s golf course, but this is not the case.

“It will actually set any good plans in motion.”

Micro-management

Councillor Dan Bull supported the motion, saying he’d previously sat on an aged care committee which had helped foster relationships and understanding with providers in the city.

But Councillor Michelle Sutherland disagreed and said it would be going back to the “micro-management” of the 1990s.

“We don’t need a committee to feel confident in TenGolf or the officers,” Cr Sutherland said.

“That’s their trade and I feel they are doing the best job in regards to the running of two great public golf courses.”

Although Cr Palmer swayed more than half her colleagues to support her motion, it required an absolute majority from council, meaning she fell a vote short with the 6-5 result.

by STEVE GRANT