Adele Carles seeks compensation and justice

Hi Sonya,
In your most recent blog post you say people need to contact Adelle Carles. What sort of information is she wanting and to what end? Is there a possibility that the lease will be overturned and in that case would some or all of the people who left (excluding those who sold) return to the Market. In that case what will happen to the new people who have come in? Or is best case scenario that management will simply be made to behave more fairly in the future? Also you promise safety.
There is a real concern amongst some who supported the Murdochs in their bid for the lease that they will be punished by whoever takes over if the Murdochs are ousted. Obviously anyone with a brain and a heart is appalled by what is now happening but they can't help being afraid that they will be blamed and punished for past ill advised actions and decisions. What do you feel about this?
Regards
S


Dear S..,
Great letter and it addresses the feelings and thoughts of many. Can I post this? Without your name of course.

I have been a bit careful to not say too much about the plan of action. I am waiting on a press release from Adele but I'm sure the Herald today will have a public statement. The Gazette, next Tuesday, should also have a statement. I also expect other media to pick up the story within the next few days.

The main point she made on Sunday is that she is going to seek compensation for people who have suffered loss since the lease signing. What she needs is a record of who has been hurt and how the changes have adversely affected them. Stall downsizing, inappropriate relocation, profit downturn, high rents and monthly leases as opposed to the promised 5 year tenure. Writing a personal story and marking it confidential is all that is required at the moment. Anyone who believes that they have been forced out of the market.

She has also identified breaches and has a very strong case for legal action against the council. It will then be up to council to take action against the Murdoch's. It should never have been left to the stallholders association to do all the leg work and finance legal action. She has all the documentation now and the great news is that it is her team who will be financing the investigation. People in high places are now onboard...

I doubt that new stallholders will be disadvantaged in any way. These people are not the enemy and like everyone else they deserve a go. Backing the Murdoch bid was totally understandable as many were completely misled. Many needed to play under the radar and we understand that. This is not, and I stress not, about stallholders turning against stallholders. People have debts and mortgages and families and it is their right and obligation to do the best they can to protect themselves. Also, the Murdoch's charmed and courted a number of people, even councilors admit that with the information they had at the time they felt that the vote was qualified. We all get wiser in retrospect. Now is now and we know what we know...more will be revealed soon.

No one is seeking a slap on the wrist for the Murdoch's. Who would accept an apology or a promise from these people? The markets need to be stabilized and they need ongoing checks and balances. People need to be put right and for the ones who remain there needs to be a level playing field.


Stallowners need to support each other. There is no such thing as new stallholders, old stallholders, Murdoch supporters or any other camp. There is a collective body of hard working people who need a fair go and equal opportunity. Stallholders have always traded off each other and that ecology needs to be bought back into balance.

The photos above are more of the missing shops at the markets.


Is this the future of Freo Markets?


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Adele Carles fights for fremantle markets

Last Sunday Adele Carles impressed everyone at the Fremantle Market rally. Unlike many politicians, there was no double talk or empty promises or excuses. She went straight to the point and made her intentions clear. It’s time to act and it’s time to right a wrong.

Adele has been thorough in her research and has put in a massive amount of time and energy. True to her word, she was off and running Monday morning. Stallholders and the community need to step up now and back her.

She has spoken with a lot of stallholders and has most of the detail but some people have been hesitant to speak and I fear that they may not realize that someone is there to help them. There are a few people who have language difficulties or fear authority. I ask all stallholders to unite and make sure that no one is forgotten. Take people by the hand if they feel intimidated. Everyone needs to know that they are safe and they can speak candidly and honestly with her.


She said at the rally that she needs everyone to contact her within the next two weeks.
Please call her office on 336 7000 or email adele.carles@mp.wa.gov.au or just write her a letter.

Mayor Pettit did not show at the rally and since the eviction and dismantling of the stallholders association we have heard nothing from him other than: let’s move on and his suggestion that all the fuss was a personality conflict. Sad to say, it looks like the new mayor is just another Tagliaferri; a missing mayor.

There is no doubt that the council is responsible for this destructive lease, and so far, every indication is that they would rather have the markets collapse than admit fault or show leadership. 25% of the stallholders have already left; more are trying to sell out or are planning on leaving within the next few months. Even the building itself is in a state of neglect. The council is willing to throw 5Million bucks at it, but who is keeping watch? Why has council allowed the repair and maintenance to go unchecked? Are the ratepayers of Fremantle expected to finance the Murdoch Empire? I thought the markets were a Fremantle asset.


Is Fremantle council just lazy, incompetent or indifferent? Those lawyers knew exactly what they were doing when they drew up that lease – they were blowing off the stallholders, totally excluding them and the people of Freo.

It is on record that the Murdoch’s threatened litigation and stated that they would run the markets into the ground if they didn’t get a lease renewal. Obviously, council caved in due to bullying and the stallholders have become the sacrificial lambs.

Council lawyers knew there was no legal threat. But surely the point was that if they were making these threats with only a few years to go on the lease then why did council think that signing them up for another 20 years would be a solution? It would be the very reason to NOT sign them up.

Do the people of Fremantle know that the custodians of their properties are making decision based purely on intimidation?



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Fremantle Market rally pictures

Hundreds of Fremantle locals came to the Jan 31st rally to protest and show support for the Fremantle Markets. This is only a small glimpse but a poignant one, as once again, the same councillors who fought in the beginning are the same ones who showed up to let us know they are still listening. Donna Haney, John Dowson, Georgie Adeane, Bill Massie and the always present Les Lauder's energy.
Adele Carles; a politician who gets things done with intelligence, honesty and heart. (Watch this space for greater things to come)
Colin Wright's speech had me in tears and the people cheering and ringing bells.
Georgie Adeane: A councillor who still remembers why she joined council. When the soul of the city is respected and valued by it's leaders - it shows.
Ed's shop - closing down. Ed organised the rally and the sadness of this eviction was heartfelt throughout the port city.
sonyagreen.blogspot.com

a typical example of pollie speak at Freo council

Fremantle council June 24th meeting - questions and answers (?)

The Deputy Mayor, Cr John Dowson declared the meeting open at 6.00 pm and
welcomed members of the public to the meeting. He made a special welcome to
Fremantle MP Adel Carles and former Fremantle Councillor, Frank Acacella.
(Adel spoke passionately about her concerns about the Fremantle Markets but I was unable to find anything in the minutes to refect her statements)

Deputy Mayor Cr J Dowson made the following statement:

With reference to the front page story in the current Fremantle Herald where the Mayor
accuses me of ‘blatant politicking’, of putting three notices of motion to Council knowing
that he and Cr Thompson would be away, and of preferring ‘to talk to his Liberal mates
rather then his fellow councillors’, I wish to set the record straight.

Firstly, in terms of politicking, I am simply trying to have Council deal with urgent and
important issues which the Mayor has ignored.

Secondly, I did not know that the Mayor and Cr Thompson would be away. I did not know
that Cr Thompson would be away until I sat down with him to discuss my Notice of
Motion regarding the SMRC. And, the Mayor certainly never told me he was going to be
away. In my four years as a Deputy Mayor he has never had the courtesy to give
adequate notice of any absence.

"The Mayor is absent tonight for the forth full Council meeting in a row (except for one appearance during public question time)."

Regardless of their presence or absence, the three Notices of Motion I have tabled are
urgent and need to be dealt with.

Thirdly, it is to be deplored that the Mayor, who ran for the Labor Party in the recent state
election, brings party politics into this chamber by deriding my talks with two
parliamentarians for the areas affected by the SMRC plant, who just happen to be from
the Liberal Party.

Mr Richard Murphy spoke in relation to the Fremantle Markets on a clause in the Head
Lease in relation to the protection of the stallholders and asked where that clause came
from? He also asked who is responsible for there being no adequate protection for the
stallholders in the head lease?

Director Corporate Services, Glen Dougall replied that he would have to take the first
question on notice and believed that the second question was rhetorical.
Seems pretty clear to me - where is the rhetoric? What was that answer?

Cr Dowson asked why he still has no response to his questions asked to the Mayor now
two meetings ago.

(Q1 Resignation: On 14th April I wrote to you concerning the Fremantle By-election
and asked that you resign your position as mayor immediately because you are a
candidate for a Labor Party seat and that in my view your resignation would be “in
the best interests of focused and clear governance.” I have not received a
response to my question. Will you please answer my question.
Q2 Governance: Council passed a resolution that the mayor could not meet with
government or business leaders without the presence of the relevant Senior
Executive model. It appears that this Council resolution has been ignored. Please
indicate:
a) How many times and on which occasions you have breached this resolution?
b) Why the Council resolution has allegedly been breached?)

Director Corporate Services, Glen Dougall replied that under the Local Government Act
an Elected Member is not required to answer a question asked by another Elected
Member. Mmmm

Mr Colin Wright spoke as the secretary of the Fremantle Stallholders Association at the
Fremantle Markets, he spoke in concern to a number of breaches he believes that the
Fremantle Markets Pty Ltd have committed and are continuing to commit. He asked the
following questions:

1. Does the City have the power to enforce the Markets not to increase rent until the
alleged breach has been resolved?
2. Why has the Working Group ignored the quarterly meetings set up by the
Stallholder Association to discuss various issues?
3. Mr Wright has been told by the Murdoch's have now identified another 20-30 stalls
that are incompatible with the new direction of the markets, what will happen to
these stallholders?
4. Why have all of these breaches, other than the rent increases, not been
addressed as a matter of urgency?
5. Who developed the Terms of Reference? Did the City engage Hochkin Hanly?
Why didn't the City prepare the brief?
6. Can he get a copy of the Terms of Reference?

Director Corporate Services, Glen Dougall replied that as a result from meetings with
lawyers and Fremantle Markets Pty Ltd it was decided to concentrate on the rent
increases as it was considered as the most urgent issue as some of the other issues
were being challenged. Mr Dougall will provide Mr Wright with a copy of the Terms of
Reference.
Nice little side-step. Howerver, Deputy Mayor Dowson caught it and gave confirmation that the information would be emailed asap (Dowson should run for mayor in the upcoming election - right on the ball!)

Mr Nicholas Gerr asked the following questions:

1. On what basis can the Mayor or any Council Officer arbitrarily refuse to answer a
question or questions asked of them during the question time of a Council
meeting?
2. Does the CEO of the City have the authority to demand that the Mayor or Council
Officer provide an answer to a question or questions asked of him during the
question time of a Council meeting?
3. On the occasions that a question is Taken on Notice what is the usual time
interval before a response can reasonably be expected to the question?
4. Are there any legislated penalties applicable to those Council staff and/or Officers
who refuse to answer a question or questions presented to them by the public
during question time?
5. I would like to take the questions asked to Mayor by the Cr Dowson two meetings
ago on as my own. Which are:

Q1 Resignation: On 14th April I wrote to you concerning the Fremantle Byelection
and asked that you resign your position as mayor immediately
because you are a candidate for a Labor Party seat and that in my view
your resignation would be “in the best interests of focused and clear
governance.” I have not received a response to my question. Will you
please answer my question.

Q2 Governance: Council passed a resolution that the mayor could not meet
with government or business leaders without the presence of the relevant
Minutes - Ordinary Meeting of Council24 June 2009Page 4
Senior Executive model. It appears that this Council resolution has been
ignored. Please indicate:
a) How many times and on which occasions you have breached this resolution?
b) Why the Council resolution has allegedly been breached?

Director Corporate Services, Glen Dougall replies:

1. Questions taken on notice at public question time are supposed to be responded
to on a reasonable basis.
2. The Local Government Act is the governing body that requires for questions to be
responded to that are taken on notice.
3. Under the Local Government Act it states that a reasonable response in a
reasonable time is to be provided. Generally a month is considered reasonable.
4. There are no penalties I am aware of provided under the Act for failure to answer
questions that are taken on notice, however I am sure the Department of Local
Government to the issues and they would look into it, if it was raised with them.
5. I have also noted that you have now taken Cr Dowson’s previous questions on
notice.
I also notice it has still not been answered


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Tagliaferri has lost his Job!

Ripper under pressure after Greens win in Fremantle

Eric Ripper's future as the State's Opposition Leader has been called into question after the Greens claimed victory in the Fremantle by-election last night.

The Greens made history last night when they wrestled the traditional working class seat from Labor for the first time since 1924.

Greens candidate Adele Carles has officially claimed victory over Labor candidate Peter Tagliaferri, describing the win as “a wake-up call to the two big parties”.

But the win has thrust Mr Ripper's leadership of the State Labor Party into the spotlight and placed pressure on the party to consider alternatives.

Alannah MacTiernan has been widely tipped as a successor to Mr Ripper, but she is also believed to be considering a tilt at Federal politics by contesting the seat of Canning held by the Liberal Party's Don Randall.

WA Premier Colin Barnett said today it was not a good day for the WA Labor party.

“That is an historic victory after decades of being in Labor's hands,” he said.

“Yes it does change the dynamics of State Parliament, for the first time the Greens have a member in the Lower House.

“It's not a good day for Labor.

“There's no positive spin the Labor party or Eric Ripper can put on this, they have lost probably their prime Labor seat, the seat of Fremantle.

Mr Barnett said dyed-in-the-wool Labor voters had not supported Mr Tagliaferri.

“I think many Labor true-blue, if you like, long-term Labor supporters did not support Peter Tagliaferri as their candidate - that was one of the problems,” he said.

“When you have a division within a party whether it's Labor or Liberal then that usually leads to disaster and it did yesterday for the Labor party.”
Last night a jubilant Ms Carles described the victory as sweet.

Ms Carles said the result was “beyond her wildest dreams” and she was honoured to be the first Greens MP to ever be elected to a Lower House of State Parliament.

She said the fact that the Greens would now claim official party status, which entitled them to more resources and staff, held national significance.

Respected political analyst Harry Phillips called the result earlier tonight, saying Opposition Leader Eric Ripper had “hardly put a foot wrong” as leader but his leadership would “inevitably” be questioned due to Labor’s defeat.

Ms Carles addressed about 100 supporters earlier tonight.

“I am really overwhelmed, I do talk a lot but I am speechless,” Ms Carles said.
Mr Tagliaferri is still refusing to concede defeat, saying a Labor victory was still mathematically possible considering 2000 postal and early votes were yet to be counted..
When counting ended last night, Ms Carles had 7950 votes ahead of Mr Tagliaferri's 6926 votes.

Ms Carles led on the two party preferred votes 9687 (54.01 per cent) to Mr Tagliaferri's 8248 (45.99 per cent).

Opposition Leader Eric Ripper yesterday conceded Labor faced an uphill battle to keep its strong-hold on the seat of Fremantle.

The West Australian News
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=141886

The Missing Mayor

Last nights rally for Richard Murphy and the following meeting of Fremantle Council was inspirational. Politics is not my gig but this one has me completely fascinated. Im not sure if its about Greed, Ego, Personal agendas or Ambition but things are out of control and people are being hurt. Mayor Tagliaferri seems to be largely responsible for the mess that the other councillors are desperately trying to clean up. He has had 18months (and more) to "Look into it" but last night he didn't even bother to chair the meeting.

Green's candidate Adele Carle has only had the story for a little over a week and yet she spent last week end walking the streets, talking with people and arranging a rally. SHE has done more this week than Tag's has done in the last few years.

Expect great things from this girl. Our 6 beautiful, passionate and ethical councillors finally convinced the others to step up and do something - the agreement was unanimous. Tagliaferri is now on his own and has been asked by Deputy Mayor John Dowson to resign.

Colin Wright called for the Eviction of the Murdoch's and the crowd roared in agreement. More on Colin's speech in the following blogs. Below is my little piece - addressed to "The Missing Mayor."

"I was offended by the mayors absence at the last meeting. Tonight, I am glad to see that he is not here again. It just confirms that he acknowledges his redundancy."

The old adage, “Don’t fix what aint broke” should be the catch cry of this fiasco.
.
The Markets have been the jewel in the crown of Fremantle for decades. Popular, profitable, successful, world renowned and much loved.

To take something that is unique, and turn it into something commonplace, is mindboggling.

Regardless of the fair market rent argument, it seems pretty clear that the proposed Market Super Deli is equally responsible for the price hikes. Basically, the current stallholders are being bullied into financing a venture, which will ultimately destroy their business as well as the markets.

Any fool can see, that people will not come from the outer suburbs to buy smallgoods which are readily available in most supermarkets. Who wants to taste wine at Freo markets, when they can sit at the Sail and Anchor or the Norfolk and drink what ever they like? Or they can cruise away, up to the swan valley. Fremantle is famous for fresh seafood and cafes, so why would the Markets want to compete in such an inferior way. Do you really expect tourists to come to Freo to experience the excitement of packaged meat?

No, Mr Tagliaferri, this is your pet project, and it’s personal for you. Go back to your deli and do what you love, but don’t inflict your emotional or psychological attachments on the Freo Markets.

There is so much I would like to say about the Murdoch’s, but what’s the point? We don’t expect anything from either party now –it’s up to the people of Fremantle to sort this out. After all, they do OWN the markets.

There is only one question that I would like to have answered, on record.

Do you, or will you, have any financial or personal interest in the market redevelopment?

Update: The mayor has replied and he said "No."

Rally for Richard Murphy

FREMANTLE MARKETS
Rally for Richard

Special guest speaker Greens candidate
Adele Carles

Richard Murphy, Chairman of the Freo Markets Stallholders Committee has been evicted after
22 years at the markets.

Please show your concern for the dire situation Stallholders now find themselves in.

-Created by-

Fremantle mayor Peter Tagliaferi
CEO Graeme Mckenzie

And councillors
John Strachan
Doug Thompson (chair of Markets Committee)
Brad Pettit
Robert Fittock
John Alberti

Who still support this unfair situation despite huge community opposition.

This Wednesday, 22nd April, 5pm
At Council Chambers steps
Kings Square (opp. Myres).

Richard Murphy has been evicted from the Fremantle Markets. Richard has owned his shop in the markets for 22 years and a year ago he could very well have sold his business for around $100,000. This weekend he left with nothing but stock. His livelihood has been stolen.

The Murdoch management has not just filled his vacant space but have given the new occupants the opportunity to walk into Richard’s business and reap the rewards of repeat custom, reliable wholesalers, expertise and good will. In effect, someone has just been given a $100,000 established business.

Although this seems highly unlikely and many are left wondering…

As chairman and spokesperson for the Fremantle Stallholders Association, Richard has been intimidated and victimized by management.

Richard has been confronting, outspoken and fearless in trying to get to the truth and the agendas behind massive and unfair rent increases at Fremantle Markets. At substantial personal costs he has championed those who have been intimidated, supported many who have had to close down and walk away and prevented a mass walk out. And all the while, trying to educate the council about long term repercussions.

Fremantle Market is not just a real estate investment. It is a Fremantle icon and tourist destination. It is commercially successful and ironically it is this winning formula that is now being dismantled. The Markets in its current format brings people from outer suburbia and overseas into Freo.

Peter Tagliaferi and the Murdoch’s vision of turning half the market into a glorified Deli will destroy the Fremantle markets. Rents and dubious outgoings will destroy many established businesses. Half of Fremantle councillors are heartbroken at the lack of information that they have been able to work with. These councillors are working hard to rectify the situation and it looks like Peter Tagliaferri is stepping out and leaving carnage in his wake.

The Fremantle Herald and Gazette have had all the twists and turns running as front page news for almost 2 months. Have you been paying attention?

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