- Target:
- Waverley Council
- Region:
- Australia
- Website:
- www.news.com.au
SAVE BONDI BEACH - STOP THE PRIVATE BEACH CLUB
Bondi Beach is an Australian icon, owned by the public and accessible to all.
For some time, a faux-grassroots campaign has been run in support of a private company's proposal to fence off a section of Bondi Beach for summer and charge money for patrons to enter what they describe as a European-style "exclusive private beach club".
After being rejected by the council, this unAustralian proposal for a private company to profit from our iconic public beach is back, this time under the guise of supporting social-distancing under COVID-19.
Thankfully, the Daily Telegraph has a copy of the real proposal, which has been kept from the public, and includes: "an outline of the type of professionals that would possibly frequent the facilities, with the men likely to be doctors, surgeons, bankers, investors, professional directors and business entrepreneurs.
The women who visit the beach club would “occupy a similar high-end platform”, with attendees having roles in “publishing, advertising, fashion, beauty and modelling”, according to the proposal."
Fencing off part of Bondi Beach for a private company to run a "high-end" bar risks:
- Damaging Bondi's iconic status as a public, accessible and free space for all to enjoy;
- Polluting the sand and sea with litter, sewage, and noise pollution;
- Risking the safety of beach-goers and volunteer and full-time lifeguards by encouraging drinking on the beach and in the water;
- Encouraging anti-social elitism.
We, the undersigned, call on Waverley Council to reject the Amalfi Beach Club proposal, and any other proposal to privatise, rent out, or fence off any amount of Bondi Beach.
Bondi's beauty, appeal, and iconic status are due in no small part to its accessibility for all, which reflects Australia's democratic, egalitarian values. This should be preserved in perpetuity, and if social distancing measures at Bondi Beach are required during the COVID-19 pandemic period, payment for access to the beach should be ruled out.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Keep Bondi Beach Public - stop the private beach club petition to Waverley Council was written by Felix Eldridge and is in the category Civil Rights at GoPetition.