Robert Fittock. No time to read mail.

I was a bit surprised by last week’s letter to the editor by Cr Robert Fittock. His indifference to the plight of the stallholders has been obvious but to publicly state his desire to get over it and move on shows how oblivious he is to the long term repercussions of the real issues.

When hundreds of public submissions were sent to council protesting against the Murdoch application, he openly stated that he didn’t have time to read all that mail. What does that mean? Is that the attitude we expect from the people we elect to represent us?

The Murdoch’s were granted the lease because they stated:

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

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.
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 exceeds the shopper’s 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.

It’s easy to see why the stallholders feel betrayed. Rents have increase by around 80%.
They have been relocated to inferior positions, out priced and forced to leave; unable to sell and at a loss of livelihood and goodwill, or evicted.
‘Gourmet Heaven’ is nothing more than food served in paper bags.
Trading hours keep changing.
Artisans have been priced out.
The markets are being sectioned into two separate parts.

Above all else though, the markets are already showing signs of decline and chaos. The new rents will set a new bar for rents throughout Fremantle and the whole community will be picking up the tab in increased prices across the board.

Thankfully, most of the councilors do not take the easy or disinterested view of Cr Fittock. If a business plan is nothing more than paper work with no accountability and promises are meaningless then where does that take the future of Freo?