Following reports that the Amalfi Beach Club had applied to Waverley Council to obtain exclusive access to a section of Bondi Beach, the Greens and Labor are combining with the local community to block the proposal.
An earlier plan submitted by the same club to privatise part of the beach was rejected by the council in May on . βOur beaches and parks are public open spaces, for the enjoyment of everyoneβ, the council said.
The private club says its proposal to fence off 1200-square metre section of the beach is about supporting local business and βlifting community moraleβ during the pandemic. It wants βhigh net worth individualsβ to consume cocktails and gourmet food between November and February 2021.
Council replied in July, saying the proposal was βunsuitableβ and sent a follow-up email in August. But the Amalfi Beach Club submitted a new application in early October, with new dates (February to May 2021).
While council assesses the new proposal, the community is making its views known on the .Μύ
The Greens and Labor on Waverley Council are opposing the privatisation of public land.
Greens MP David Shoebridge said: βThe culture of selling everything not nailed down has to be challenged. The community is already voicing their opposition and we agree with them absolutely.
Dominic WY Kanak, Greens councillor for Bondi ward in the Waverley Council, said: βIf the beach belongs to anyone, itβs First Nations land. No parts of Bondi Beach should be the exclusive playground for the elite and the rich.β
Labor councillor John Wakefield said: βCommercialising a slab of Bondi, or any beach, for an extended period of time (months in this case) is not a good outcome.βΒ
An opposition petition has been signed by more than 30,000 people. Outside of a pandemic, the beach can be packed with up to 40,000 people in summer. Even reserving 2% of it βdisplaces at least 800β in favour of βa handful of the eliteβ the petition noted.