City of Perth mulled no-protest zone around Government House after secret meeting
The City of Perth council considered imposing a no-protest zone around Government House after a meeting with WA Governor Chris Dawson that remains shrouded in secrecy.
Documents released under Freedom of Information laws and obtained by WAtoday show the proposal came to the council in January 2024 after an unnamed person — whose identity has been suppressed — raised safety concerns with former lord mayor Basil Zempilas.
The concerns related to arrests made over antisocial behaviour, high traffic and more than two dozen buses on St Georges Terrace.
The plan involved removing the 'implied licence' of people to protest by standing on the footpath in front of the heritage-listed Government House.
A PowerPoint presentation of the proposal detailed how the city had begun liaising with WA Police on developing a new process which would see signage installed prohibiting loitering or obstruction of the footpath.
Under the process developed by the city, local government rangers would be empowered to issue two warning notices to those found failing to abide by the requests.
Then the matter would be referred to police, and non-compliance was to be met with move-on notices or arrest.
The blanket ban appears to have been the only remedy explored, with the administration admitting that changes to the existing footpath had not been considered.
The slide detailing the city's consultation with stakeholders was redacted from the presentation released under FoI laws, as was the reason the proposal was being raised in an informal council forum.
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