Look before you lease. What didn't they get?

Fremantle Markets Pty Ltd presentation to council Feb 26th 2008.
(Some of the questions raised by councillors prior to the lease being granted)

Summary of question asked by Cr Bill Massie: So the current stallholders are guaranteed security?

Summary of response from Jamie Murdoch They are guaranteed security under the working group and under the lease. The lawyer that the stallholders have engaged, there was a meeting that a couple of the Councillors went to prior to Christmas and the lawyer said that the stallholders will have more security under the new lease then the old lease. The new lease allows us to offer our stallholders a 5 year lease, with the opportunity for a 5 year option. We want our stallholders to continue, we have a database, as I said, of 200 stallholders who are all fantastic people. There are initiatives that we want to implement, so the 3 day a week markets stays but there are various sections of the market that can come alive on the Tuesday or a Wednesday or whenever to suit the various need that Lee and Anne have identified.

Summary of question asked by Cr Bill Massie: So the weekend market would not be forced into working 7 days?

Summary of response from Jamie Murdoch

No. We have gone through that process with the Thursday trial. These initiatives are just initiatives, to sit down and discuss and consider. )

Summary of question asked by Cr Les Lauder: In your presentation you showed a food court, is that towards the centre.

Summary of response from Jamie Murdoch

It is between the fruit and vegetable section and the main building. We think there is an ideal opportunity to explore having that as a food court, it's a good link between the Henderson street mall foot court, down the lane way and into a nice area under the tarpaulin before you get into the main heritage building. We think that could be created into some sort of food court and entertainment area, which is one idea that we have.

Summary of question asked by Cr Les Lauder: What would happen to the stallholders that are currently there?

Summary of response from Jamie Murdoch

They would be relocated to other places. These are purely ideas and we are going to
have to discuss them further. They have not been discussed with anybody outside of this room. We don't want to loose any stallholders, we want all the stallholders we have to come along.

Summary of question asked by Cr Les Lauder: But you said that the ones that will be displaced by the food court will be put elsewhere. I don't understand what would happen to the ones who are elsewhere now.

Summary of response from John Murdoch A lot of those stalls that are in that section, are casual stalls anyway, so they would be easily relocated to other casual spots and if it got turned into a food court, we would look after the stallholders that are there.

Summary of question asked by Cr Bill Massie: If you open 6 or 7 days a week, the current stallholders, are they going to be mobile or will they still have their positions?

Summary of response from Jamie Murdoch They will still have their position. The whole Market will still come alive on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All stallholders are welcome to come along for the future of the Fremantle Markets for the next 20 years that the Council and the Working Group will govern, we are not precluding anyone. We have a database of 200 fantastic stallholders and we want to give them the opportunity to come along for the next 10-20 years.

Listed below are some of the concerns raised by stallholders at the time:
(on record - verbatim of some of the responses from those aware of the business plan)
- Have heard that the rents will be going up 10% market rent...if rents go up crafts people will not be able to afford the rent and I feel that $2 type shops would move in and change the markets.
-Only that rents remain at a fair and reasonable rate given that it is a market, markets are a low rent situation
-I'm concerned that not enough attention has been put into the size of rent increases that we can expect the new business plan. Rent increases need to be strictly controlled.
- Fee increases have occurred.
-They are putting up rents unnecessarily to squeeze people out and put more tenants in.
- Stop putting up rents.

Uncertainty about tenure:
- They are stripping the stallholders of all rights, they can ask you to leave or move your stall.
- No protection to stallholders
-Make sure that leaseholders rights are protected when it comes to resale of stalls
-Regarding relocation of our site or moving us out all together - I would like some clarification on this.
-Will they start anew and will we lose our current location.

Lack of involvement and representation of the stallholders association:
-Why is the stallholders association not recognised in this lease?
-We don't have a voice anymore, the association of the stallholders will be eradicated and not given a voice
-Meeting should be more open and not behind closed doors, it seems too buddy-buddy; you scratch my back. They are unprofessional and unapproachable. They should include a stallholders representative in all meetings.
-The stallholders association has not been mentioned in the new business plan.

And then the amazing quotes and promises from the Murdoch's;

At Fremantle Markets, we will create WA's gourmet heaven. A food retailing, entertainment and educational centre that will rival...

More efficient and effective use of the community asset,but retaining existing traditional 3 day trading market.

Commitment to continue to provide a low cost trading environment despite capital expenditure and trading initiatives

We support internal changes but only if space is used effectively, maximize stallholder/customer interaction. Number of stalls must not decrease.

To provide goods and services that exceed the shoppers expectations.
To provide quality, range,uniqueness and value for money
Develop range of local produce - uniquely West Australian
Goods handmade on site to encourage interactivity - glassblowers/metalworkers/pottery makers

In Summary:
We subsidise rents to make a low cost trading environment
We have the support of a large majority of stallholders
We have NEVER "sacked" a stallholder
In conclusion:
It's time to end the uncertainty
Time to allay stallholders' fears about the future
Time to give ratepayers a better return on their asset
Time to stop the bickering and let us get on with the job