BY SHUA GARFIELD

HOBART - The Policy and Intergovernment Committee of the Hobart City Council decided on February 5 against holding a public consultation about activities in city's Elizabeth Street mall. The consultation was originally proposed after the council's November decision to ban Green Left Weekly from the mall proved controversial.

“We have continued regular distribution of the paper in the mall since the council denied us a permit but the council hasn't taken action to stop us”, said GLW spokesperson Alex Bainbridge.

“The council's public consultation could have been a mechanism for the council to back down and give us a permit, or it could have been a vehicle to try to manufacture an impression of public support for the council's ban”, Bainbridge said. “Since the consultation is not going ahead, the latter option is excluded. As there are no indications that the council has plans to enforce its ban, we believe that this decision represents a partial, de facto, victory for GLW.”

“Naturally, we remain prepared to vigorously defend our right to distribute the paper in the mall if the council moves against us in the future”, he added.

Council member Jeff Briscoe, who has consistently supported GLW's right to be distributed in the mall - said the decision not to hold the consultation was made because the financial cost would be too great.

From Green Left Weekly, February 13, 2002.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

Tools

• Bookmark This Page
• Print This Page