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.

City of Perth chief executive Michelle Reynolds, former Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas, WA Governor Chris Dawson and his wife Darrilyn in September 2023.

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.

But the city’s administration did not appear to be sold on the idea, highlighting the significant risks posed by revoking the implied licence, including the protesters refusing to comply and turning their attention on the local government.

The biggest hurdle, however, was overcoming the common law right to peaceful protest.

The proposal failed to draw unanimous support from councillors, which the city passed on to stakeholders, and never saw the light of day.

Among the documents not handed over under the FoI process was an email thread between Zempilas and chief executive Michelle Reynolds from October 4, 2023 regarding a meeting with Dawson, which the city claimed was confidential, and that its release could compromise the future supply of information.

A photograph published by the governor’s media team suggests the email thread came just days after Dawson hosted Reynolds and Zempilas at Government House to discuss increased activity in the CBD and upcoming events.

The governor declined to answer questions, as did a spokesperson for Zempilas, who resigned as lord mayor after being elected to state parliament in March.

The City of Perth was quizzed about the plan at a meeting of the council last week, but declined to be drawn on the matter.

Stuart Chapman, who lodged the original FoI application, intends to appeal the decision to keep the email thread secret, telling this masthead he believed the release of the documents was in the public interest.

Almost a dozen umbrella-wielding silent protesters have been gathering at the entrance of the governor’s residence daily since December 2021, several weeks after the WA government announced vaccination mandates.

The group, known as the “Umbrella People”, profess to be concerned but peaceful people who have lost confidence in the WA government.

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.