Thank you Perth community. You guys really showed up to Save the Kebab.

Today we submitted a formal petition that was required by the City of Perth (details below), this online petition with 1180 signatures (still going), and the comments from the community, to the Elected Members and CEO of the City of Perth. 

We believe this is an important opportunity for Council to listen and lead — to act in a way that restores trust, upholds best practice, and affirms Perth’s cultural identity.

We asked the Council for your support in ensuring these concerns are heard and that the community’s input is meaningfully considered as part of Council’s deliberations on Agenda Item 19.5.

Members of Save the Kebab will be at Council House tomorrow from 5pm to support the campaign. We hope you’ll join us.

Thanks so much for showing how much you care about your capital city.

PETITION TO COUNCIL 
City of Perth Standing Orders Local Law 2009 
To the Lord Mayor and Councillors of the City of Perth, we, the undersigned, do 
respectfully request that the Council: 
1. Restore, or interpret Paul Ritter’s ‘The Obelisk’ at its original location in 
Stirling Gardens.
2. Commission Lorenna Grant to restore or reconceptualise ‘The Arch’ at its 
original location in Northbridge.
3. Send the ‘Boonji Spaceman’back to the US or at least find another site that 
is not Perth’s oldest garden.
4. Ensure any future acquisition complies with Public Art Policy (CP 4.8) and is 
endorsed by the Culture and Arts Advisory Group and Elders Advisory 
Group. 

Why This Matters
The Save the Kebab campaign urges the City of Perth to restore and reinstate The 
Obelisk, a significant public artwork affectionately known as "the kebab." This 
campaign raises serious concerns over the City’s decision to replace this historically 
significant piece with Boonji Spaceman—a mass-produced sculpture by American 
artist Brendan Murphy—at a cost of $250,000 to ratepayers.

Under the City’s own Public Art Policy (CP 4.8), mass-produced artworks do not qualify for acquisition. This decision disregards policies on originality, local artist engagement, and heritage conservation, as well as consultation with advisory groups.

Created by Paul Ritter in 1971 to celebrate WA’s mining heritage, The Obelisk was 
removed in 2021 with assurances it would return—yet it now faces permanent 
replacement. 

Similarly, The Arch by Lorenna Grant was removed with no reinstatement plan. We call on the City to restore these works, honour its policies, and protect Perth’s cultural identity.

By signing this petition, we call on the City of Perth to:
✔ Preserve our city’s cultural identity
✔ Uphold its own public art policies
✔ Restore and maintain significant local artworks
✔ Ensure public funds are spent responsibly and transparently