UPDATE - 24th March 2021 - HUGE media exposure and response to the Mayors comments
UPDATE - Wednesday 24th March 2021
The petition has so far now made Australian federal and Victorian state news. Including Channel 7 news (Print and on the tv bulletins), Herald Sun newspaper, Australian newspaper, ABC Melbourne breakfast radio show, 3aw Melbourne Morning radio, News.com.au, Star weekly newspaper. All the links to the media articles, video and exposure are listed below.
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As it stands on the 24th March, the polka dot installation trials remain, with council maintaining that they will now seek consultation at Yarraville village, in addition to the online project feedback portal. The petition will continue to push for the two actions, using the effective momentum gained from the media exposure - 1. The polka dot removal 2. then meaningful public consultation about addressing the Yarraville village settings.
We would encourage people to share this petition and continue to advocate! - also encourage others in the local area to read and sign the petition. In addition, to make your views about this serious issue directly known to your local elected councillors, direct to council and also make your voice known on the official council project feedback "your say" portal here: https://www.yourcityyourvoice.com.au/polka-dot-road-safety-project
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IN RESPONSE TO THE COMMENTS MADE BY THE MAYOR (On behalf of council):
The mayor Michael Clarke fronted up to all the media outlets yesterday (from breakfast radio to channel 7 news) to explain the councils position on this issue - which continues to disappoint.
In response to these comments we would like to address what the mayor had disclosed and also how these statements reinforce why there is now the issue we have with the Polka dots:
There was no public consultation about these polka dot installations BEFORE implementation (only now after implementation of the trial). That's simply unacceptable! - regardless of your position about the polka dot installation.
What is even more alarming is that in all the media reports, Councillor Clarke says it’s (the risk to children was) a problem the council considered before installing the dots. “I actually put that question to the grade sixes at St Margaret’s Primary School in Maribyrnong, and all 41 kids were very clear that they wouldn’t run onto the road just to look at circles,” he said.
This statement highlights that council fully knew about the risks to child safety (which are now surfacing), yet decided to proceed with the installations anyway - and with no prior public consultation either. Should a child be seriously injured or run over by cars in these installations (which many parents have had first hand near misses or witnessed near misses from being hit by cars), council would clearly be held liable for public safety negligence having known about the risks of serious harm - and then deciding to proceed anyway.
Council have willingly retrofitted this concept from very different locations into the already complex Yarraville village area, putting the aesthetics and concept of the project as priority over the safety and lives of local children - and over the first hand accounts of parents in the local area.
In terms of consultation: Referring to the above statement from the mayor - Surveying 41 grade six kids does NOT constitute effective and meaningful public consultation - especially as this issue primarily affects a cross section of children from younger ages too. The community and local parents (who are the actual ratepayers) deserve much better than this level of lax engagement and dialogue from council! This statement reflects a level of ongoing contempt and frankly level of offence council continues to show local residents by not engaging with the local community prior to projects being implemented. This would ensure tax payer monies are used effectively, work WITH the community to formulate solutions and mitigate issues/risks which may arise with potential solutions. Local residents (and their children) are now being used as a experimental case studies, putting lives at risk.
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Media coverage (Theres alot):
CHANNEL 7 NEWS - Television - 7 news Melbourne on the 4pm and 6pm bulletins on Tuesday 23rd March 2021 - Article and video news coverage - https://7news.com.au/news/vic/yarraville-residents-fighting-to-scrap-dangerous-new-road-safety-polkadot-art-c-2416772
HERALD SUN NEWSPAPER - Yarraville polka dots: Anderson Street speed bump alternative brings danger fears - by Grace Mckinnon -
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/melbourne-city/yarraville-polka-dots-anderson-street-speed-bump-alternative-brings-danger-fears/news-story/0657ad5397818da380e4d773ee4a44a7?amp
THE AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER (National) -
Petition calls on Maribyrnong Council to remove ‘dangerous’ polka dots on Yarraville streets - by Anthony Piovesan -
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/petition-calls-on-maribyrnong-council-to-remove-dangerous-polka-dots-on-yaraville-streets/news-story/903dddcd2cee0880b2a9dcd1668e44a3
ABC MELBOURNE BREAKFAST RADIO SHOW (SAMMY J SHOW) - Listen to the podcast at around 7am/7:15am mark on the Tuesday 23rd March 2021 show-
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/breakfast/
STAR WEEKLY NEWSPAPER - Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay - Polka dots a ‘safety risk’- by Goya Dmytryshchak - https://maribyrnonghobsonsbay.starweekly.com.au/news/polka-dots-a-safety-risk/
3AW Melbourne Radio - Morning breakfast show - 23rd March 2021 - https://www.3aw.com.au/why-a-melbourne-council-has-painted-giant-polka-dots-on-a-busy-street/
News.com.au (News corp) - https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/petition-calls-on-maribyrnong-council-to-remove-dangerous-polka-dots-on-yaraville-streets/news-story/903dddcd2cee0880b2a9dcd1668e44a3