By Benjamin Millar
Maribyrnong Council has clamped down on protest action and stepped up security measures ahead of this week’s scheduled public meetings.
Members of the public wishing to attend Tuesday night’s city development meeting and Wednesday night’s rescheduled ordinary meeting will be required to show photo ID to gain admission, which will be capped at 75 people.
No placards or signs will be allowed into the building.
The stricter conditions follow the cancelling of last Tuesday night’s ordinary meeting after Victoria Police’s public order response unit evacuated more than 100 people from the building following a fire alarm.
Those ordered from the council office foyer had earlier been involved in a protest on the town hall steps against Melbourne Victory football club’s plans to build a soccer academy on public land in Footscray Park.
Maribyrnong council chief executive Stephen Wall said the council had consulted with Victoria Police following last week’s meeting and that police had made recommendations concerning the conduct of upcoming meetings.
“It is important that we obtain a person’s identity to comply with OHS requirements and ensure that we know who is in the building should the need arise for an evacuation,” he said.
“The banning of placards and signs is to not only ensure a safe working environment for staff and councillors, but also the safety of those in the gallery.”
The moves have been criticised on the council’s social media pages as undemocratic and discriminatory.
Anticipating another large turnout by opponents of the Melbourne Victory proposal, the council has moved the meetings to its larger main reception room.
“However, the capacity of this room is limited and only 75 will be allowed into the gallery,” Mr Wall said.
“We will be livestreaming the meeting and we have organised another meeting for next Wednesday night that will be exclusively about Footscray Park. The venue will hold over 250 people.”
The stricter security steps are the most stringent since 2015, when changes were introduced after two councillors were assaulted during a fiery meeting over paid parking in Yarraville village.
