Fremantle Council and Fremantle Markets - It's on again

Why are we asking the same questions today that have been asked over and over for the past year or two? Why are we still showing up with the dead bodies and still wondering why this is happening and who is responsible and who is going to do something about it?

It seems to me that we are all just playing a role in a melodrama and ooing and ahhing and aint that a shaming throughout. Sad stories about ‘little Aussie battlers being done over by the greedy landlords’. Ironic really, as we approach Australia day next week end.

Ironic also, that Ed sells Australiana products and souvenirs. The little flags that people wave to celebrate the Australian way. What are those little Aussie catch cries again? She’ll be right mate. A fair go for all. Mates help mates. Equal opportunities…

Except this Australia day Ed is another of the “Tourist icon’s” latest casualty.

The Murdoch’s might have reasons for this culling but it seems pretty clear that many of these businesses are being stolen due to their location and should be bought out by the Murdoch’s at fair value.

The very people who have made the Murdoch’s, the council and the markets both successful and prosperous are the very people who are now walking away or being forced out and left financally and emotionally devastated.

This of course is only a matter of fair play, ethics and community good-will but it would be naïve of me or anyone else here to pretend that those qualities matter in this day and age or in this town or indeed in business. The bottom line is the bottom line. We just like to appear to uphold these ideals.

So let’s not even pretend today that we are here save another victim. Let’s not pretend that we don’t know that more are only weeks or months away from leaving. Let’s pretend that the stallholders association did not predict all of this more than a year ago. And let us pretend that we all believe that the original business plan set out by the Murdoch’s was examined or analysed or that measures were put in place to make sure that the Murdoch’s would comply with those promises or that there would be accountability or consequences or even a course of action by council. Let’s pretend that the council, the custodians of the peoples market, have some control or authority.

Or instead of pretending let’s just ask questions of the council:

If 30-40 small businesses were forced off High St would council have a workable damage control? Or is there some discrimination about a small business operating within a market environment that would make that somehow different?

If rents and outgoings doubled along the café strip would council be a little more concerned or pro-active?

What exactly is an operating strategy? Can anybody approach council with one of these “Appear to be seen… documents” and then be left to do as they please? Does council actually exercise any control or even follow up on these things?

Is council’s lack of action and lack of control really just a subtle form of condoning such disregard for these documents and contracts?

Why did the head lease not include any rights, security, protection or indeed acknowledgement of the sub leases?

Is the Fremantle Market a joint venture between council and the Murdoch’s or do the ratepayers and small businesses actually have a say?

It seems to me that the stallholders are pulling the rents through the door and the ratepayers are about to fork out nearly 5 million dollars worth of restoration work; not to mention the discrepancy of a 12% council increase in rents as opposed to the 80% Murdoch increase. Has anyone there even pondered the near 60% dupe to the ratepayer? Or the ten years council will need to break even while many millions will go straight into the Murdoch pocket - if the market still exists in ten years

Is anyone still holding true the 'directed and confidential' evaluation even though new casual traders are being offered subsidized rents or the fact that tenants are NOT being replaced at all?

And last but not least, can council or management please define what you actually think a market is?

Because the big question will be, “What are you going to do with the newly restored empty asset that used to be a market?”

Sonya Green
http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com