DO NOT WAIT TO FIX FENCE: AUDIT
Council still ignoring urgent call
A KINGBOROUGH Council assessment of Blackmans Bay cliffs days after the tragic death of a teenager more than 18 months ago urged action on safety regardless of a coronial investigation. But Mayor Steve Wass was last night maintaining his council cannot do anything until the coroner’s report is finalised — in case the recommendations were different to what the council might do.
A KINGBOROUGH Council site assessment of Blackmans Bay cliffs days after the tragic death of a teenager urged action on safety regardless of the coronial investigation.
But 18 months later Mayor Steve Wass maintains council cannot do anything until the coroner’s report is finalised.
The Mercury can reveal that at a council meeting less than two months after Margaret Lore, 17, plunged to her death in January, 2017, a Kingborough councillor said making the cliffs safer should not be at ratepayers’ expense.
“I just don’t believe at this point in time we should take on this piece of land because, if we do, we are then responsible for the structure that needs to be put in place to make it safer at our ratepayers expense,” Cr Paul Chatterton told the meeting on March 14 last year.
The Mayor said last night he could not recall seeing the site assessment, but the council would wait for the coroner’s report so it could get the safety measures right.
He said once the council had determined the ownership of the land, it would move to acquire it.
The assessment was prepared by the engineering services manager following a site inspection on January 30, 2017, just two days after the tragic incident.
It recommended that the council implement a range of measures to improve safety at Blackmans Bay cliffs.
The report, seen by the Mercury, was not formally presented to the council because it voted to defer leasing the land until after the coroner’s investigation was handed down.
The report acknowledged the council did not own the land but had taken “some responsibility” for its management and maintenance.
It recommended the King- borough Council repair fencing, install more prominent warning signs, replace pine log fencing with an appropriate barrier and obtain the lease of the land prior to the final coroner’s report.
“Other actions are considered in light of findings from the coronial investigation,” the report said.
The site assessment also said the chain-link fencing, which varies in height from 1.5m to just 90cm, could be “easily crossed”.
The council’s engineering services manager said on March 14 the site assessment with the recommended actions would be tabled at the next meeting a fortnight later, but it was not.
Cr Graham Bury told the meeting it would be “unwise” for the council to take over the land even though they had taken responsibility for it before Ms Lore’s death, and Cr Wass said “any and every aspect of the area” would be considered in the days following the tragedy.
Kingborough Ratepayers Association president Mervin Reed said the council’s outof-control spending and operating deficit meant it could not fund a safety fence to prevent further deaths at Blackmans Bay cliffs.
The site assessment was also provided to the coroner to assist with the investigation.
I just don’t believe ... we should take on this piece of land
— PAUL CHATTERTON
IT was with great sadness we held our last service at St Stephen’s Church, Sandy Bay on Sunday, August 26 and celebrated 171 years of worship there.
Our small congregation of 14 to 20 faithful people has not been enough to sustain us and we are now looking to relocate. We have been fortunate to have had a wonderful priest taking our traditional services since our Rector left earlier this year, Rev Dr Lee Weissil. What a joy and comfort he has been to us through this difficult time. Rev Weissil is Chaplain at The Hutchins School, and parents of children at Hutchins can take comfort that their boys are in very faithful Christian care.
The country parishes have all been very vocal about their church closures but sadly the people of Sandy Bay have not been so.
The church is still open for weddings, funerals and baptisms but no services. A Korean Christian group is using the church for its midweek services. It is sad for all our children and grandchildren, who are growing up without the comfort and strength that Christian faith and guidance brings. Our small congregation just cannot sustain our beloved church and once lost, it is gone forever.