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SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA 1R |
Council Meeting
TUESDAY 25 JUNE 2024
6:30 PM
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Council Meeting 25 June 2024 |
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MEETING AGENDA – PRECIS SUPPLEMENTARY ITEMS |
The following reports appear as late items as information required for the preparation of the reports was not available at the time of distribution of the Business Paper.
1 Condolence Motions
ITEM Page
C0624(2) Item 43 Mayoral Minute: Condolence motion for Euphemia Bostock 3
2 Mayoral Minutes
ITEM Page
C0624(2) Item 44 Mayoral Minute: Congratulations to Inner West Citizen of the Year George Catsi 5
C0624(2) Item 45 Mayoral Minute: Leichhardt Oval saved 6
C0624(2) Item 46 Mayoral Minute: SXSW Sydney Satellite Event on Enmore Road 7
C0624(2) Item 47 Mayoral Minute: Rezoning of Leichhardt Bowling Club 8
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Council Meeting 25 June 2024 |
Subject: Mayoral Minute: Condolence motion for Euphemia Bostock
From: The Mayor, Councillor Darcy Byrne
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MOTION
1. That Council write to the family of Aunty Euphemia
Bostock to express our gratitude for the
contribution she made throughout her life to our local community, the cause
of Aboriginal justice and equality, Aboriginal cultural life and to the
development of younger Aboriginal artists. 2. That Council consult the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee about offering to the Bostock family the opportunity to name the proposed Aboriginal Community Centre at Tempe Reserve in honour of Aunty Euphemia Bostock. |
Background
We note with great sadness and respect the passing of Bundjalung-Munanjali woman Aunty Euphemia (Phemie) Bostock prominent local Aboriginal Elder, 2018 Inner West Senior Citizen of the Year, civic leader and renowned Aboriginal artist.
Aunty Phemie was born at Tweed Heads, NSW, in 1936. From the 1960s her enormous artistic practice encompassed a variety of media including textile, sculpture, and printmaking. Her artistic training took place at the East Sydney Technical College, Sydney College of the Arts, and Redfern’s Eora Centre.
Euphemia was a founding member of Boomalli Aboriginal Artist’s Cooperative in 1987. She worked tirelessly throughout her life to promote the work and artistic capacity and improve the living conditions and rights of Aboriginal artists across Australia.
In 1987, Aunty Phemie’s clothing designs were showcased in Paris at the Au Printemps Department Store exhibition Australis down under. Other exhibitions include the Museum of Sydney’s Bamaradbanga (to make open) in 1999, and Tactility – two centuries of Indigenous textiles and fibre at the National Gallery of Australia in 2003.
Aunty Phemie’s most recognisable work is the Possum Skin Design screen print she produced in 1990. A section of the design was reproduced on an Australian stamp in 1999. Possom Skin Design fabric is held in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia and the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney and Aunty Phemie’s work is represented in the collection of the National Museum of Australia. In 2001 she produced a collaborative Reconciliation Sculpture for Macquarie University’s Sculpture Garden.
In 2023 Aunty Phemie exhibited in the JAALA biennial exhibition Durangen in Japan. The exhibition included work by six senior women artists from the Bundjalung Nation.
Aunty Phemie shared a creative and activist spirit with other members of her family. Her brother Lester and their brother Gerald were founding members of Sydney’s Aboriginal Black Theatre in 1972, and Aunty Phemie was also present for the early days of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra.
Bronwyn Bancroft, writing in the Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture , said: 'Euphemia Bostock epitomises all that is special about Aboriginal life – she is the matriarch of an extended family, active in political life, working in many levels of artistic practice, and a mentor for her people.’
Nil.
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Council Meeting 25 June 2024 |
Subject: Mayoral Minute: Congratulations to Inner West Citizen of the Year George Catsi
From: The Mayor, Councillor Darcy Byrne
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MOTION
1. That Council congratulate Petersham Bowling Club President George Catsi on being awarded Inner West Citizen of the Year.
2. That Council receive a report to the August Ordinary Council meeting on how Council’s “Love your Club” program can provide incentives and assistance to community based clubs to transition away from reliance on poker machine revenue. Mr Catsi is to be consulted in the development of the report and its recommendations.
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Background
A huge congratulations to George Catsi, Petersham Bowling Club President, who is the 2024 Inner West Citizen of the Year.
This award is in recognition of the leadership Mr Catsi has shown in transforming the Petersham Bowlo’ away from reliance on poker machine revenue.
The PBC has set such a groundbreaking and positive example for other community clubs across the Inner West.
George has been an Inner West local since 2001.
He took over as President of Petersham Bowlo’ in 2006, saving a failing club that had been slated for redevelopment.
He wasn't a bowler but led a team that reimagined what a club could be by removing poker machines and creating a thriving arts, music, and community hub, increasing turnover by over 850% across 17 years.
Inner West Council has resolved previously to initiate a program of assistance for not-for-profit community clubs to support and assist them to transition away from reliance on poker machines.
The awarding of Inner West Citizen of the Year to Mr Catsi creates and opportunity to work with him on this establishing this program.
Nil.
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Council Meeting 25 June 2024 |
Subject: Mayoral Minute: Leichhardt Oval saved
From: The Mayor, Councillor Darcy Byrne
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MOTION
1. That Council writes to the Prime Minister thanking the Federal Government for the $20 million funding contribution for the renovation of Leichhardt Oval.
2. That Council writes to the NSW Premier, thanking the State Government for the $10 million funding contribution for the renovation of Leichhardt Oval.
3. That Council establish a design panel of relevant stakeholders to provide advice on the development of the design of the renovation of Leichhardt Oval. The CEO of West Tigers and the CEO of Sydney FC are to be invited to join the panel.
4. That Council immediately begin engagement with stakeholders as the first stage of the renovation, that will see Leichhardt Oval become a hub for women’s sport and a facility fit for elite sporting teams.
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Background
On June 14 the Federal and NSW Governments announced that they would join in a funding partnership to save Leichhardt Oval and implement the Leichhardt Oval Masterplan.
In addition to the $10 million committed by the Inner West Council to the implementation of the Leichhardt Oval Masterplan the Federal Government has now committed $20 million and the NSW Government $10 million, making a total of $40 million investment in the ground.
The Council has allocated $1 million in the Budget to be adopted tonight to undertake the design of the renovation and it’s important that this work now proceed.
Nil.
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Council Meeting 25 June 2024 |
Subject: Mayoral Minute: SXSW Sydney Satellite Event on Enmore Road
From: The Mayor, Councillor Darcy Byrne
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MOTION
1. That Council write to SXSW festival organisers proposing a collaboration between Inner West Council and SXSW Sydney to hold a satellite event on Enmore Road as part of SXSW Sydney 2024. The event will focus on showcasing local artists in the Inner West. 2. That Council delegate authority to the General Manager to enter into negotiations with SXSW Sydney on logistical, financial, and promotional support that Council could provide as part of the event and receive a report to the August Ordinary Meeting detailing costs.
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Background
SXSW is an annual conference and festival originating in Austin, Texas which showcases music, film, technology, and innovation. The event is the largest festival of its kind in the world and in 2023 hosted its first international spinoff event with SXSW Sydney, with over 97,000 attendees and more than 1,000 events held across eight days. SXSW Sydney is returning in October 2024 with an expansive lineup of local musicians and artists scheduled to perform.
The Inner West is the centre of live music and art in Sydney, with more residents employed in the arts and creative industries than anywhere else in NSW. It is also home to the state’s first ever Special Entertainment Precinct on Enmore Road. The scale and reach of SXSW Sydney is a significant opportunity to promote local Inner West artists to a national and international audience and bring a major international event to the Enmore Road Special Entertain Precinct
While the majority of the festival is set to take place around the CBD, SXSW Sydney has met with Inner West Council to discuss opportunities to collaborate on a satellite event on Enmore Road as part of the festival. It is mutually agreed that the focus of this event would be on showcasing local Inner West artists and the precinct to the SXSW Sydney audience.
Given the festival is taking place in October, council will need to confirm details with festival organisers as soon as possible to ensure the viability of the event.
Nil.
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Council Meeting 25 June 2024 |
Subject: Mayoral Minute: Rezoning of Leichhardt Bowling Club
From: The Mayor, Councillor Darcy Byrne
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MOTION
That Council commence work to rezone the Leichhardt Bowling Club from R1 - ‘General Residential’ to RE2 - ‘Private Recreation’ using the most cost-effective and expeditious Council-led method possible. A report on this is to be tabled at the August Ordinary Council meeting.
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Background
The Leichhardt Bowling Club is a 101-year-old community sporting institution. The Club’s Board is committed to honouring the club’s proud history, preserving it as community recreation space, drawing in new members to the sporting and social club, and catering to local visitors with new offerings of food and live music.
Like many small, community clubs, the Club faces financial pressure in a competitive environment and high costs, including regarding their Council rates.
The Club has been zoned R1 - ‘General Residential’ since the middle of the last century, though it has been used as recreational land for over 100 years. No attempt has been made to change its use to residential in the decades since it has been used for recreation purposes.
As a result of the residential zoning, the Leichhardt Bowling Club pays rates more than 350% higher than comparable clubs, imposing a very significant recurrent cost which undermines the Club’s financial viability.
Several generations of Board members have made attempts to resolve this. According to the Club’s historical records, in the 1980s the Council indicated twice that rezoning was likely, but it never materialised. Discussions on this issue have been ongoing between the current Board and Council since 2019. The Board of Directors has sought advice on making a club-led application to Council to change the zoning from R1 to RE2 Private Recreation and have been advised that it would likely cost in excess of $200,000.
The Board of Directors and the membership have now asked for Council’s support to rectify this situation by initiating a Council-led rezoning from R1 to RE2 private recreational land. A vote of the Board was held in late May and unanimously endorsed the proposed rezoning.
The Council has an opportunity to help secure the long-term future of the Club by initiating the process to ensure the club has the appropriate land zoning for its use. This will save the Club money and secure the land as recreational space.
If the zoning is changed, the Leichhardt Bowling Club will save approximately $50,000 on rates per year but more importantly, a critical piece of high-quality community amenity will be saved.
Leichhardt Bowling Club Life Member, 78-year-old Ronnie Court wrote a handwritten submission to Council in support of the rezoning. He reflected on his years at the Club and how important it was to him as a bowler, and also praised the Board for their foresight in making changes to the Club to appeal to new members while retaining the Club’s essence. He mentioned how pleasing it is to see children and families at the Club and to hear them proudly say “I love the Bowlo!”.
