Acting Mayor’s ‘office’ staging post for tent city

EXCLUSIVE: TENTS and supplies for the homeless camped without council approval in Pioneer Park on Boxing Day were stored at the back of Acting Mayor Andrew Sullivan’s ‘office’ in Fremantle.
Cr Sullivan shares space at 11 Pakenham Street with activist Jesse Noakes, whose group Freo Street Kitchen was evicted by the State Government on January 23 after the City allowed organisers to extend their Christmas ‘sleepover’ for nearly a month, providing access to water, power and portaloos.
FSK activists even held a “de-escalation training” session in the building which, until recently, had a Greens WA sign at the front of the former Victoria Coffee Palace near Pioneer Park.
Cr Sullivan does not lease the space at 11 Packenham Street. The building is owned by an Italian family with whom StreetWise understands Cr Sullivan is friends. Cr Sullivan and Mr Noakes use the same space.
StreetWise can also reveal why Cr Sullivan declared a proximity interest five days after the controversial street kitchen opened.
In emails sent to all elected members and the CEO, Cr Sullivan said he had been “subletting office space” with to Mr Noakes since early December. “As such, I will not endeavour to influence how the City or Council plans to deal with this,” he said on December 31 (If Cr Sullivan has no lease, how does he sublet to Mr Noakes? StreetWise is unaware as to whether Mr Noakes still shares space at Cr Sullivan’s office). StreetWise has contacted Cr Sullivan for comment.
Cr Sullivan told councillors he tried to speak with the main tent city organiser, but he was busy. He noted a number of verbal altercations and shoving contests when he visited the park, and added: “I understand the police searched tents last night after an alleged disturbance but perhaps that was more a shot across the bow to let them know they are being watched.”
Cr Sullivan also states FSK had a, “hidden motive in addition to the generally admirable activity of feeding the homeless and disadvantaged”. Because the location was directly opposite State Labor member Simone McGurk’s office, he said FSK’s event, “is likely intended to bring this increasingly serious issue to her doorstep and to generate public attention. If that is their intent then this has a political component to it”.
South Ward Cr Marija Vujcic called for an investigation on January 1.
Cr Sullivan responded and again CC’d all councillors and the CEO on January 5: “For the sake of clarity, on the first day of activity in Pioneer Reserve, I only knew as much as the City staff knew, i.e., that Jesse Noakes’ organisation was running an informal event on Boxing Day to provide food and some community activity for the homeless. That sounded no different to the hordes of people who had assembled together in reserves across Australia to have their Christmas Day gatherings the day before. I had no inclination that the proposal was to establish a tent city or that it would last longer than a day until that actually happened.”
Cr Sullivan then states: “Late on Christmas Eve, I was aware the organisers were intending to hand out bags of provisions on Boxing Day as these bags were being stored in the rear of the building that I have an office in. I noticed the provisions included small tents along with a range of other basic items that homeless people might need – a Christmas present for the homeless! I was unaware that these tents would be erected in the park for an event that I understood would last just one day.”
The Mayor, all elected members and the CEO, who is preparing a report on tent city, knew since at least January 5 that Mr Noakes was running a political protest out of the Acting Mayor’s office.
Cr Sullivan has said he no longer has a proximity interest as tent city no longer exists. But does he?

Hosting a protest

Greens WA candidate for South Metropolitan Brad Pettitt, elected members and the CEO not only knew the tent city stunt would extend beyond Boxing Day, they supported and promoted it as part of a Greens campaign to criticise the McGowan Government over a lack of support for the homeless in WA  (www.streetwisemedia.com.au/political-stunt-taints-greens-mayor). The Acting Mayor’s Pakenham Street ‘office’ was even used as the organisers’ staging post during the four-week political stunt.
On December 18, Hilton Cr Sam Wainwright urged readers on his ‘Freo report’ Facebook site to donate to FSK as, “services for the homeless close over Christmas”. His post is still linked to the FSK Facebook ‘event’ that was listed on the ‘Activist Events in WA’ online site that stated: “This Boxing Day onwards there is going to be a tent city set up in Freo … Volunteers and donations (food and sleeping gear) are sorely needed to make sure it can be a long term project.”  Some of that “gear” was stored at 11 Pakenham Street. Tents and other provisions also were supplied by the public as the camp grew in size.
On January 9, Cr Wainwright again encouraged people to volunteer or donate to FSK as, “Some great work is being done at Pioneer Park”.
Cr Sullivan has said the CEO will prepare a report tabling events around tent city (Given the CEO was comfortable with the Boxing Day event and, as revealed here by StreetWise, was CC’d into Cr Sullivan’s reasons for a proximity interest, will he hand over to an independent officer?) Dr Pettitt said the CEO report will be, “a good outcome in terms of transparency and improving our processes”.
According to the Local Government Act, an elected member or committee member must not improperly use resources of the local government for electioneering purposes. Since late last year, Dr Pettitt has campaigned as a Greens WA candidate in his role as Mayor until he took leave on January 29 to run in the State election in March.

Tent city chronology

Early December: Freo Street Kitchen activist Jesse Noakes moves into 11 Packenham Street with Acting Mayor Andrew Sullivan who says he knew as much as City staff did about tent city – that Mr Noakes planned to open a 24-hour food service for the homeless on Boxing Day. Mr Noakes also approaches then Mayor Brad Pettitt and City Ward Cr Rachel Pemberton seeking support for the ‘temporary’ Christmas kitchen.
December 18: The “camp out” is advertised as a “long term project” at the ‘Activist Events in WA’ online site. Hilton Cr Sam Wainwright promotes the street kitchen and urges people to donate, the post still on his Freo Report page. The same day, Mayor Brad Pettitt introduces Mr Noakes to Chamber CEO Danica Quinlan and City Ward Cr Rachel Pemberton introduces Mr Noakes to the WA Police Officer in Charge at Fremantle. During the week, Dr Pettitt also meets Fremantle Labor member Simone McGurk, police and the chamber of commerce to deal with the city’s, “escalating homelessness and mental health crisis”.
December 21: Cr Pemberton, a member of Dr Pettitt’s election campaign team, arranges a meeting between Mr Noakes and, “relevant managers at the City”.
December 23: FSK advertises online a ‘Preparation Meeting + De-escalation Training’ at 11 Pakenham Street occupied by Cr Sullivan and Mr Noakes. Apparently, four people attended. The advert is still posted online.
December 27: FSK announces, “we will now be staying on for a few more days”.
December 30: South Ward Cr Marija Vujcic raises her concerns over public health and safety and lack of proper council procedures with CEO Philip St John after visiting Pioneer Park.
December 31: Cr Sullivan emails elected members and CEO and declares a proximity interest with Mr Noakes. He says he noticed activity at the park the day FSK moved into Pioneer Park. That night, two teenage girls, aged 13 and 14, allegedly are sexually assaulted by two men who visited or stayed at the park.
January 1: Cr Vujcic calls on the CEO to investigate tent city, her request CC’d to all elected members (www.streetwisemedia.com.au/political-stunt-taints-greens-mayor).
January 3: Responding to the alleged sexual assault of the two girls on New Years Eve, Ms McGurk tells 6PR that tent city organisers are playing a, “very dangerous game” (www.streetwisemedia.com.au/blame-game-divides-fremantle-community).
January 4: Dr Pettitt speaks with police for the first time and publishes in his mayoral blog: “Perhaps the most challenging issue that has emerged over the last week is the ‘tent city’ that popped up in Pioneer Park between Christmas and New Year. City of Fremantle staff and I will meet key state government and not-for-profit agencies to discuss options today.”
January 5: Dr Pettitt blogs: “About 50 tents have been pitched at Pioneer Park after organisers asked the City to allow a 24-hour food service on Boxing Day while some providers were closed.” He adds: “The City will continue to work closely with service agencies and advocate to the State Government to make addressing homelessness an ongoing priority.”
January 11: Dr Pettitt blogs: “There is perhaps no more stark and pertinent symbol of a society’s failings than a tent city.” He adds: “Fremantle’s tent city is just a very visual reminder of what needs to be done.” At an informal elected members meeting the same day, he and Cr Pemberton reportedly tell councillors and CEO they gave Mr Noakes verbal approval.
January 14: FSK states council had, “granted us access to the space, water and power”. After the water was turned off and then reconnected at Pioneer Park, Cr Wainwright posts, “no matter where homeless people choose to get their lunch, there is still nowhere for them to sleep”.
January 15: One of the two men who allegedly assaulted the teenage girls in Fleet Street appears in the Fremantle Magistrate’s Court. His co-accused appeared on January 29 (WA Police receive nearly 80 calls for help including assault and robbery of a group of people at Bathers Beach on January 2; a man assaulted with a rock at the park on January 9; and a 51-year-old woman threatened with a knife on January 15).
January 18: The CEO assures elected members at a second informal meeting that the City was working with all stakeholders and it would take another two weeks to resolve.
January 19: A Greens WA poster with a black and white image of tent city urging the Government to immediately release funds to get rough sleepers off the street and into crisis accommodation appears on Dr Pettitt’s instagram site. WA Premier Mark McGowan calls FSK organisers “professional protestors” and “anarchists”.
January 20: The City’s finance committee considers a ‘late item’ recommendation to close the camp and recommends winding it up once suitable housing is found.
January 21: Dr Pettitt’s blog ‘update’: “Sadly, the Premier thinks this is some kind of stunt, which it isn’t. There is serious work to do; the welfare and safety of those in the park and of businesses and organisations around it depends on it. I commit that the City of Fremantle will do all it can to work constructively towards a solution.”
January 22: The Premier and Treasurer accuse “some councillors” of being uncooperative and using tent city to score political points at the expense of public health and safety, including the homeless at tent city.
January 23: The Government closes tent city. “In light of the City of Fremantle’s failure to withdraw their consent to the occupancy of Pioneer Park in a reasonable timeframe, the State Government has taken the necessary action to protect the community,” Mr McGowan said, adding the City had, “refused to withdraw consent”. The same day, Dr Pettitt welcomes the “successful” closure and thanks the community for caring: “The City has also emphasised that it does not and never had supported the camp and has collaborated with authorities since its inception to secure a compassionate closure.”
January 25: Cr Wainwright criticises the Government and states on Freo Report: “They (the Government) shat their pants because the Pioneer Park camp was in such a public place – like a neon sign advertising their failure.”
January 26: Lands and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt tells StreetWise: “By the admission of the activists and professional protestors behind the camp, the motivation was political from the beginning. Putting vulnerable people and the community at risk in this way is not an effective or compassionate way to make a political point.” Mr Wyatt adds: “ … this was an awful way to treat people” (www.streetwisemedia.com.au/qa-with-wa-treasurer-and-aboriginal-affairs-minister-ben-wyatt).
January 27: Full council meets for the first time to discuss the tent city that no longer exists, the FPOL minutes updated to coincide with current events (www.streetwisemedia.com.au/tent-city-bust-up-exposes-council-homeless-fiasco).
January 29: Dr Pettitt offers “some thoughts and lessons” about tent city on his last official day as mayor: “It is good that the camp has now wrapped up in a compassionate way. While it would have been better if it did two or three weeks earlier – as the City of Fremantle requested – I think we can all agree (silly politicking aside) that wrapping it up was good, collaborative outcome.” (www.streetwisemedia.com.au/silly-politicking)