Zero ‘Likes’ For Council’s Anti Social Permit Policy

By Sarah Healey on April 11, 2014 in News

Have you ever attended a picnic or barbecue that was organised via social media such as Facebook or Twitter? Have you been the event organiser? If you answered yes, you need to be aware that under Waverley Council’s Event Policy, if you organise a gathering via social media that will attract 50 people or more in Bondi, Tamarama or Bronte, you need to apply and pay for a permit to do so, otherwise you could cop a $220 fine and be ordered to vacate the premises by Council rangers.

This policy was outlined in an article in The Sydney Morning Herald last month, after Greens MP David Shoebridge was approached by Council rangers and ordered off the beach while trying to launch his Beach Saver climate change campaign because he did not have a permit to hold the event. According to reports, there were only around a dozen people in attendance.

Council responded by stating that: “In the case of the event on 24 January, this [event] was promoted to thousands of people on social media. Council had not been notified… and as it happened, it clashed with another Council event at the time. That’s why the rangers asked that the event be moved a bit further down the beach. Council staff did not know at that stage that only a dozen people would turn up.”

Many locals are stupefied by this seemingly draconian policy, having attended events organised via Facebook that have occurred without any trouble, but Council is adamant that any social gatherings that could attract 50 or more people must have a permit.

“Under Council’s permit system, people can of course use social media to invite friends to smaller social gatherings of under 50 people, but if the proposed activity is public and promoted broadly on social media or any other form of advertising with the aim of getting as many people as possible to attend, then we ask people to book through our event system,” a Council spokesperson said.

Facebook is a legitimate form of communication and many people use it to create events. How one can guarantee that an event they organise will attract less than fifty people, even if it’s privately advertised, is anyone’s guess.

Waverley Lifeguard Adriel Young can’t see the reasoning behind Council’s heavy-handed policy, and believes that everyone should be able to enjoy our public spaces.

“I’ve been to barbecues that have been attended by close to 50 people. Everyone was well behaved – no problems – and we all made sure we put all rubbish in the bins provided. I see this often at North Bondi and most groups are well behaved,” he said.

Local resident Ash Davies believes that it’s a knee-jerk reaction to a problem that hasn’t arisen.
“Council is almost assuming that people are doing the wrong thing before they’ve even done it. I would’ve thought the least of Council’s worries would be about locals posting parties on Facebook. We should be empowering the rangers to do more in terms of littering. That bothers me much more than fifty or more people getting together to have a party,” he said.

The Beast also spoke to David Vago, a local resident and urban strategist who designs public spaces and domains. He organised a public protest at North Bondi in early March in objection to the policy.

“This is a clear breech of our freedom. Everyone is sick to death of all the restrictions placed on us by Council. The beach is a public domain and belongs to the people,” Mr Vago said.

“In my opinion, because of social media people are either on their phones or computers and communicating that way. The last hope for us to have a society, to gather as a community to learn social skills, is through the public domain. So if Council stops people’s ability to meet in a public space, you’re creating a dictatorship; you’re restricting people’s freedoms. We’re a community, and they’re not letting us be one!”