[Greens-Media] Permit for a picnic at Bondi Beach? Bureaucracy has gone mad.

[David Shoebridge MLC]

Anyone organising a picnic at Bondi Beach on social media better beware -
if they haven't got a permit from the local council they will be threatened
with a $220 fine and could be sent packing by the rangers.  This is a
ridiculous policy that fails to recognise Bondi is a beautiful
*public*beach. The Greens are calling on Waverley Council to let
family, friends
and the community picnic, or just hang out, on the beach free of council
red tape.


See story in today's Sun Herald here:
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/waverley-council-all-of-a-twitter-about-picnic-permits-20140222-33s8q.html<http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/waverley-council-all-of-a-twitter-about-picnic-permits-20140222-338sq.html>



Waverley council has adopted a
policy<http://www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/15530/WC_Events_Policy_2012_Endorsed_Final_Copy_March_2013.pdf>that
demands anyone organising an "event" on council land, whether it is
Bondi Beach or a local park, must get a permit from the council.


The council has defined "event" so broadly that it covers even the smallest
gathering if it is organised in advance.  The definition reads:


An "*Event*" is defined as: *an organised gathering to be held within the
Waverley LGA on public land or venue, either indoor or outdoor, where
people assemble at a given time for entertainment, recreation or community
purpose either for free or for the payment of a fee organised by Waverley
Council or an external person, group or organisation*.


Greens MP and local government spokesperson David Shoebridge said:


"This is bureaucracy gone mad with a power hungry Liberal council trying to
stomp out picnics on the local beach.


"What kind of council is telling people who are having a family
get-together, "sorry no-permit-no-picnic"?


"The council seems frightened that young people or families will be
organising get-togethers on social media and not telling them.


"It is ridiculous that the Council is having their local picnic police
scouring social media to see if people are organising unauthorised swims at
the beach and then sending in the rangers if there's no permit.


"Council should recognise the fact that this is 2014, not 1950, and people
need to be free to put a call to their friends and family on social media
to catch up at the beach, without getting a permit.


"Of course it makes sense to require a permit if there is a substantial
commercial gathering, but family, friends and communities have the right to
free access to the beach and no council should think they can change this.


"This policy needs changing immediately. It was put in by the local Liberal
councillors and is a dangerous precedent for other councils.


"Until they change it I am sure that most Sydney-siders, and hopefully most
tourists, will just go on ignoring this foolish policy and keep treating
the beach as a free public asset," Mr Shoebridge said.


*Media contact: 0408 113 952*

-- 

* David ShoebridgeGreens MP in the NSW Legislative Council P: (02) 9230
3030 |Media: 0408 113 952|T: @ShoebridgeMLC
<http://twitter.com/#!/shoebridgemlc> SIGN UP TO STAY IN
TOUCH at davidshoebridge.org.au/sign-up
<http://davidshoebridge.org.au/take-action/sign-up/> *