Perth Voice Interactive

VINCENT council is set to spend $330,000 on revitalising Beaufort Street after another two long-term businesses there closed in the space of a week.

Clarences bar at 566 Beaufort Street closed May 27 after a decade on the strip, with management saying “due to the greed and ignorance of landlords, another one bites the dust in this once thriving precinct”.

Five Bar announced its closure on May 22 after nine years.

Some of the remaining business owners don’t want to talk publicly about the street’s demise in case it makes things worse, with one saying that “all the negativity is not helping Beaufort Street at all”.

Events

There’s $330,000 for various Beaufort Street events and initiatives in Vincent’s 2019/20 budget, and mayor Emma Cole says Vincent plans to tackle this issue head-on with a new “vacancy project” to bring more diversity to the strip.

The intention is for pop-ups not to compete with existing businesses, but to entice people down to “on-spend”.

“I understand the deep concern that many of our businesses and residents are feeling about what is happening on Beaufort Street,” Ms Cole said.

“We do know that vacancies and a lack of a diverse and unique mix of offerings on Beaufort Street can have a ripple-on effect for surrounding businesses.

“Bricks and mortar independent businesses on high streets are what give our inner city town centres the creative edge over large scale shopping centres.

“The right mix needs to deliver both day and night time trade and be complementary.”

Collaborating

Stirling and Vincent councils are collaborating on a project to work with landlords and curate “an interesting mix of pop-ups and work together on finding longer-term, more permanent solutions to this central problem”, Ms Cole says.

Beaufort Street is split between Vincent and Stirling councils at the border of Walcott Street (sometimes called Perth’s Berlin Wall), which has hampered collaborations in the past.

Beaufort Street Network chair Joshua O’Keefe has focused on extending the network’s activities north of Walcott Street.

He’s optimistic about this new era of the two councils working together: “Finally the wall comes down,” he says.

“Our first job is to outreach to businesses to build a good working relationship so we can deliver a bunch of exciting of the Beaufort Street brand.

“With new funding opportunities, new nooks and crannies to explore and activate and new businesses to work with, we are going to love adding new members to our Beaufort Street business family.”

Stirling mayor Mark Irwin said the three parties had been working on projects individually and hopes collaborating will bolster results.

Along with extending BSN activities north of Walcott St and a digital/social marketing campaign to be launched June 10, he says Stirling’s working on a new draft policy to encourage local businesses to use footpaths for street trading and alfresco dining, and he says “we think this will make a significant difference.

Support

“We all acknowledge there is a real need for support here and we are all committed to working together to provide it and help solve this complex problem, together,” Mr Irwin said.

Other measures in the pipeline include Vincent council spending $75,000 on a ‘light up the strip’ project, starting with illuminating the Beaufort Street sign, and an investigation into a second public space to complement the Mary Street Piazza and have events where people can wander between the two spaces.

Perth MP John Carey says the problems won’t get solved if they’re not addressed: “We need to be frank: It’s a ghost town,” he says, partly blaming unrealistically high rents and a lack of shopping diversity.

“As someone who’s had a long connection with the street—I founded the Beaufort Street Network, I cofounded the festival—there is no doubt that it is at severe crisis point…it is now requiring drastic action.

“We need the property owners to come to the table. We need to look at the rent situation.

“One retailer said to me they’re leaving Beaufort Street to go to King Street because the rent is cheaper.”

by DAVID BELL

PRODIGIOUS numbers of flowers and plants are still being stolen from Kings Park.

Police made three arrests relating to mass flower theft late last year (some of those may have been the same serial flora thief) but greenery is still going missing.

On May 27 the Kings Park and Botanic Garden Authority put out a public plea for information saying “there have been at least 28 significant thefts reported in the last 12 months, with up to hundreds of stems cut per incident. More thefts are likely to have gone unnoticed”.

The KPBGA said “the most recent theft on Thursday night saw a number of banksia flowers cut and stolen from the WA Botanic Garden.

“It is believed the flowers and foliage are being sold commercially. Florists are urged to check their suppliers are obtaining stocks from legal sources.

“The thefts are damaging Kings Park’s beautiful displays for visitors, having an impact on the natural environment of the park.”

If you see anything suspicious like someone exiting the park with three bags of flowers that they didn’t have on the way in (police arrested such a fellow at midnight on December 28), call a park management officer on 0418 923 973.

VINCENT council has voted to keep its policy prohibiting circus animals on council land.

The obscure rule, which ropes in travelling menageries, has been on the books since 1996, and last week the administration recommended it be repealed as part of a routine review into defunct policies, as no one has ever applied to bring circus animals to town.

Councillor Jonathan Hallett queried the repeal at the council briefing session. Staff informed him the long term plan is to eventually roll the animal ban into their space hire conditions, rather than having a separate policy.

In the meantime they’ve decided to keep the circus animal policy so there’s no confusion when a traveling menagerie comes to Vincent.

The city’s still got a few other old policies that haven’t been updated in a while: Under policy 4.1.8 you’re not allowed to build a nuclear reactor in Vincent, and 2.1.5 only allows a “white cross” on roadside memorials.

by DAVID BELL

THERE’S an early bird for the Vincent council elections in October, with Beaufort Street Network chair Joshua O’Keefe announcing he’ll run for South Ward.

Usually candidates don’t announce they’re running for council until a few weeks out from polling day, but Mr O’Keefe says “the conversation about the future of Vincent deserves more than just a one-month burst on Instagram or Facebook with a prospective candidate.”

Mr O’Keefe was elected chair of the Network in July last year, as the strip was in the throes of financial struggles and store closures.

Making the best of a bad hand he’s worked on the Brighter Beaufort Action Plan, and has successfully lobbied Stirling Council to start working with the Network on the northern section of Walcott Street.

He says he often talks to traders, shoppers and landlords and “the news seems to be bad lately, but this just gives me more drive to help turn it around – if I am elected to council with these strong relationships already in place, it will only benefit our town centres when tough decisions have to be made”.

Mr O’Keefe has previously worked as a planner at Vincent council and is now a year 6 teacher.

He says “Vincent Council has been in a ‘steady as she goes’ state for a while now and it’s time to get some fresh blood at the big table by someone who will challenge the status quo.”

Both spots in Vincent’s south ward are up for grabs, and incumbent councillors Susan Gontaszewski and Jimmy Murphy said they are keen to run again.

by DAVID BELL

THE director clear-out at Perth City Council will now happen behind closed doors at the behest of commissioners.

The city’s currently advertising for four “general managers” to replace five outgoing directors, and commissioners standing in for elected councillors have decided that the hiring and firing process should not take place at a public meeting.

At the February 26 council meeting, Commissioner Andrew Hammond moved an item of “urgent business” that the city remove the “senior employee” designation from all directors and the couple of senior management positions that it had previously applied to.

That will mean if any director or senior manager is hired or dismissed it wouldn’t need a vote of councillors, as had previously been necessary under the Local Government Act.

Commr Hammond said at the time: “We are two directors down at the moment, and we really don’t want to put any obstacles in the way.

“It’s my personal view, and certainly as a previous CEO [of Rockingham] that the appointment of all staff is the responsibility of the CEO.”

Commr Gaye McMath chaired the meeting and accepted the item as urgent.

Transparency

“I think that it’s very important that we do not delay with any deliberation on staff matters generally, and certainly not delay on any … staff matters coming forward to a later meeting.”

Cr Reece Harley, suspended along with the rest of the council, said last week he was disappointed in the lack of transparency about the restructure of directors. He wants to know how many staff were made redundant and how much it cost.

There was confusion last week over who had actually resigned, with The West reporting “all five” directors had gone, but two were still listed on the city’s website.

CEO Murray Jorgensen said: “No directors were dismissed, all directors resigned at their own discretion.” Two directors are fulfilling their roles until their regular finishing dates.

“To be clear, this is about replacing the vacant executive roles that have arisen over the past 12 months and taking the opportunity at the same time to review and improve the way we do things here at the city.

“In doing so I have decided to move from five portfolios to four and better align our services for the betterment of all our stakeholders. This will also produce an operating cost saving.

The Voice asked about the directors’ severance payments, but Mr Jorgensen said: “To respect the privacy of individual employees, the city will not address inquiries of this nature”.

Senior employees are also eligible for more generous severance packages, but Mr Jorgensen said the February 26 notice of motion “did not affect outgoing director’s claim to benefits”.

by DAVID BELL

THERE’S still time to catch some cool and reflective events at National Reconciliation Week which finishes up on Monday (June 3).

In Bayswater today (Saturday June 1) there will be a Noongar language and cultural session at Maylands Library at 10am.

Led by language teacher Carol Foley, participants will learn about colours, numbers and greetings in Noongar.

Recently Bayswater council has taken steps to strengthen its relationship with its Aboriginal community.

“We are incredibly proud to have handed our draft reconciliation action plan to Reconciliation Australia, paving the way for the city’s unique reconciliation journey,” wrote  councillor Filomena Piffaretti.

“After officially endorsing the Uluru Statement from the Heart, we now have the statement proudly displayed at the entrance of council chambers as a reminder of our commitment to reconciliation.”

The centrepiece of the week’s event is the Walk for Reconciliation, a symbolic march through the streets of Perth’s CBD that was attended by 4000 people last year.

“This is an opportunity for people to immerse themselves in our First Peoples’ culture, contribution and ceremony,” said ReconciliationWA, which organises the event.

“Elders, artists, dancers, story tellers, musicians and the extended First Peoples’ community welcome you to share their knowledge of the country, we all call home, by getting involved in the cultural activations.”

March

If you get your Voice early, the march starts at noon, Friday May 31 at Wardang Gardens (beside the RAC Arena) and finishes at Yagan Square at 1pm.

More than 140 street banners promoting the march and Reconciliation week are on display in prominent Perth locations like Elizabeth Quay.

The banners feature the eye-catching work of Valmayi Nampitjinpa, an artist based at Tjarlirli Art Centre in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands of the Western Desert, about 350 kilometres north-east of Warburton.

Throughout Reconciliation Week the Trafalgar Bridge in East Perth is lit up in the red, yellow and black of the Aboriginal flag.

WA Police have also marked Reconciliation Week with the launch of their inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan.

Under the plan Aboriginal flags will fly permanently all WA police stations, Aboriginal people will acknowledged as traditional owners in signs at police buildings and WA Police will investigate giving officers Aboriginal language lessons and upping the number of Aboriginal recruits.

Officers will also make more visits to Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal artworks will displayed at certain police facilities.

The theme of this year’s Reconciliation Week is “Grounded in Truth Walk Together with Courage”. To find out more go to http://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/