SOUTH
CITY
PRECINCT
Fremantle Inner City
Residents Association
Cr
Jon Strachan
Well, several Councillors have made it pretty
“[I
believe] elected members need to take “a long
clear what Council is up to, and it is hard to
hard look at themselves” and ask whether those
see how Council has acted in the best interests
councillors voted onto the committee were the
of the people of Fremantle.
councils best heritage experts.”
This is what they have said:
(Fremantle Gazette, January 10 -16, 2006)
Cr Geoff Graham, Chairman of the Heritage
Cr Shirley Mackay
Committee
“I have to agree with [comments by other council-
I am “disgusted and outraged” . “I definately think
lors] that there was an orchestrated ploy by some
there was an orchestrated ploy by some sections of
sections of the council to get rid of me.”
the council to get rid of Cr Shirley Mackay from the
Sports and Recreation Committee and Crs Lauder
(Fremantle Herald January 14, 2006)
and Dowson from the Heritage and Special Places
Committee”
Deputy Mayor John Dowson
“Councillors should be guided by their areas of
Crs Lauder and Dowson are the foremost heritage
expertise when nominating for committees ... It
experts in Fremantle and it was an appalling act to
looked very much like an orchestrated act of bas-
vote them off the committee.”
tardry to vote us of the committee. It is preventing
us from getting on with the serious work that needs
“The action beggars belief.”
to be done”.
(Fremantle Cockburn Gazette, January 3 -9, 2006)
(Fremantle Cockburn Gazette, January 3 - 9, 2006)
1
The Mayor
tention to Fremantle as a good place in which to live
and fought for a new Planning Scheme that protected
“Council’s obviously made a decision”, Mr Tagliaferri
residential amenity. All of this activity took a heavy
said, clearly reluctant to discuss the elections ... In all
toll on Les’ health and he once came to a Council
honesty I don’t think there was anything orchestrated in
meeting from Fremantle Hospital for a crucial vote, in
that.”
his pyjamas.
(Fremantle Herald January 7, 2006)
Les’
knowledge of Fremantle’s buildings and their sto-
ries saw him become the inaugural W.A member of the
NOW LET’S LOOK AT THEIR
Australian Heritage Commission, protecting the Na-
EXPERIENCE AND WHAT THEY STAND FOR
tional Estate under both the Whitlam and Fraser gov-
ernments.. He always emphasised the economic
Cr Les Lauder
benefits of heritage for Fremantle.
Les Lauder was dubbed the Saviour of Fremantle after
And it continues with Les pulling our latest planning
his efforts to protect the city’s heritage in the 1970s.
scheme, CPS 4 from the Ministers desk to have it
When he first entered Council and founded the Freman-
amended to ensure that Fremantle is not overwhelmed
tle Society, Fremantle as we know it was under threat of
by high rise developments.
destruction. Heritage protection was given only to a few
iconic buildings. Meanwhile, High Street was to be
widened both sides thus wiping out its sumptuous fa-
cades through the West End. Henry Street was to be-
come part of a coastal highway while the Orient Hotel
would become a glass and aluminium boat-display
building. The Fremantle Markets and the former Liter-
ary Institute (now the Dome in the centre of the cappuc-
cino strip) were to be demolished for car parks.
Fremantle Prison, now the state’s number one heritage
site, was to be flattened and replaced with high-rise
apartments. Near the Town Hall there were plans for a
sixteen-storey glass tower, which Les led the opposition
to.
A TOUCH of graffiti on a column in the old Customs House
but the Minister for Environment and Conservation Dr. Moss Cass,
agreed with Les Lauder that this building was beautiful and must
Be protected.
With the resolute support of the then mayor, Bill Mc-
Kenzie, and an increasing number of community-based
councillors, Les saved many buildings. People were
moving out of the residential areas when Les drew at-
2
Deputy Mayor John Dowson
Cr John Alberti (in his own words)
John Dowson has written extensively for newspapers
“... I have lived in Freo for 46 years in the heritage
and magazines on heritage, urban design, planning, and
section of town and I am passionate about the place
environmental issues for 20 years.
and value its heritage very much. However, I think we
should encourage people ... to build the heritage build-
His most recent book, "Old Fremantle," a photographic
ings of tomorrow.”
history of Fremantle, won the Premier's Prize for non
fiction. He is currently working on another book on
†
Recently licensed as a Real Estate Agent
Fremantle and one on Albany.
Cr Steve Gorman
He has written extensive submissions to prevent the
loss of heritage properties around Western Australia,
†
Two heritage awards, Casa Rialto Building, High
including a 120 page report on the North Fremantle
Street
grain silos (now demolished), and a 110 page
investigation into the heritage significance of the
† Five pre war houses personally restored in the past
former immigration buildings on Victoria Quay.
12 years
John Dowson has made submissions to Fremantle
† A developer, who is currently seeking approval
Council on many local issues, including urban design,
for his
5 storey plus roofdeck development in
and his urban design report is still used at some local
Henry Street, West End when this is clearly con-
universities.
trary to Council’s West End policy. That policy
seeks to protect the West End with a maximum 4
John's work on environmental issues while living in
storey height limit.
the United States earned him an "Environmental Hero"
award from the powerful Earth Day committee. In WA
† Publicly advocates 8 storey heights in the West
he has been active in campaigns to save old growth
End (see The West Australian XYZ, although he
forests and Cockburn Sound seagrass.
later said these were flippant remarks (The Fre-
mantle Herald XYZ)
1996-1996 John was a councillor for East Ward before
disappearing to run a chateau in France for a couple
of years. In 1999 he was elected president of the
This is what Smith, Alberti and Gorman voted
Fremantle Society and held that position until 2004,
for in the West End.
and the following year was elected councillor for East
Ward again, and subsequently deputy mayor.
14 Mouat Street, Fremantle
While president of the Fremantle Society he generated
a great deal of publicity for the heritage group, and
some newsletters had high print runs approaching
20,000 copies.
John has always felt that the heritage and history of
Fremantle is its greatest long term economic asset.
Cr Bob Smith (in his own words)
“My family has an “historical association” with the port
city that goes back 77 years”
Fremantle Gazette, January 10 - 16, 2006
3
NOW LET’S LOOK AT SPORT !!
The people of Fremantle deserve
Cr Shirley Mackay lives and breathes sport.
the best expertise on Council’s
Her fellow Councillors have shown their support by
committees. On any balanced view,
electing and re-electing Shirley as Chairperson of the
Sport and Recreation Committee for the past 14 years.
Les Lauder and John Dowson
Yet she was suddenly dumped in favour of Cr ?? at
should be returned to the Heritage
Council’s meeting on 21 December 2005.
Committee, and Shirley Mackay
should be returned to the Sports
Why ? What has changed ???
Committee. Acknowledge the
Key Achievements
error, and move on, in the best
interests of the people of
†
Chairperson, Sports Committee for the past
Fremantle.
14 years
†
Sporting Wall of Fame, 1998
†
Olympic Torch Relay 2000
†
Inaugral Masters Games 2001
4
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