Murdoch family name grab for Freo icon

THE Murdoch family has in the past two weeks registered six new business names for the heritage-listed Fremantle Markets building in the event council decides against extending its lease.
The names (opposite) were registered after Fremantle Markets Pty Ltd CEO Natasha Atkinson on May 10 threatened the City finance committee it would move out with its 150-plus stall holders if the council went to public tender instead of granting a 20-year extension.
FMPL registered ‘Fremantle Markets’ on May 17 and ‘Fremantle Port Markets’, ‘Freo Port Markets’, ‘Markets Fremantle’, ‘Original & Still the Best Freo Markets’ and ‘The Original Fremantle Markets’ on May 12.
The name grab follows six failed attempts by FMPL, five times in 2005, to trademark the historic Freo name.
Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge told FPOL there were “inherent risks” going to tender: “We will lose the name. We don’t own the name.”
Not according to the lease, which states FMPL would have to ‘peacefully surrender’ the name if it lost the lease and, “change its name to a name which does not include the words ‘Fremantle Markets’”. This means it cannot use the name or trade as Fremantle Markets, which was was confirmed by City staff at full council tonight.
Details of the surrender clause were released by Venture Analytics director Tom Cockle, who was banned from the markets for five years after having invited stall holders to join a new tenants association.
He told StreetWise yesterday: “No one appears to have read the lease. They cannot take the name.
“The Murdochs are running around in the background doing everything they can to secure this building and stop anyone else tendering. But it’s null and void, it’s in their contract.”
Mr Cockle also called out the Mayor, “What she effectively is saying is council can’t even consider another operator because the Murdochs own the name. That’s not true. The city owns the name”.
He asked the Mayor: “Now that we know the council owns and controls the Fremantle Markets, will you consider a full tender process?”
StreetWise understands council can still choose to stay with the existing operators even after submissions are received to the proposed business plan.
Ms Atkinson told FPOL: “If the council proceeds to tender or you chose not to renew the

lease with FMPL you will force us to move the Fremantle markets to another location which will provide our 150-plus tenants with certainty they require to operate their business.”He told council there is virtually no risk in going to tender to consider new operators and said it would be unthinkable for stallholders to want to leave the Fremantle Markets and go to an untried location which does not have the name ‘Fremantle Markets’.

Public time

Question time was dominated by Fremantle Markets and CAT. Ms Atkinson returned to convince council to support its traders, offering 79 letters of support from stallholders or about half its tenants. Not exactly a glowing endorsement given several stall holders also attended council to oppose the lease.
“We incubate small enterprise,”, she said after asking her T-shirt followers to stand up and be counted.
South Ward Cr Marija Vujcic moved a deferral motion, seconded by Cr Fedele Camarda, to introduce legal advice questioning why the CEO had not shared alternative lease proposals to elected members and asked for a 90-day deferral. Cr Camarda said he wanted to test the marketplace and have the decision deferred, the procedural motion defeated.
The motion to advertise the business plan for 42 days was passed, Crs Vujcic and Camarda against.
Additional reports at streetwisemedia.com.au. Featured image by Jarrah Tree.