FREMANTLE mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge says she is “waiting to see” whether she’ll attend a mayoral candidate debate following settling of a defamation case with the Fremantle Society this week.
In May, mayor Fitzhardinge posted a video in which she “called out” Society president John Dowson for an email addressed to her about the consultation process about the City of Fremantle’s bicentenary commemoration in 2029, saying she was calling out “racism”.
In the email, Mr Dowson referenced an item at a council meeting in May concerning Manjaree Arthur Head and called it “divisive and disgraceful” and “shockingly biased” because a council working group’s only community member was Indigenous.
At the time, Mr Dowson said his email was “grossly misrepresented” in Ms Fitzhardinge’s video.
In a statement to the Herald, the Fremantle Society says it’;s “pleased to advise” the claim “has now settled”.
“The Fremantle Society and its president John Dowson claim that the video improperly accused them of being racist in relation to an email in which the Fremantle Society was seeking the Fremantle Council to take a balanced approach to the 2029 Bicentenary, one that brings people together instead of dividing them,” the statement read.
“The Fremantle Society and its President are very satisfied with the outcome.”
Ms Fitzhardinge posted her own statement on her social media on Friday last week, including an apology and acknowledgement that her claims were incorrect.
“I noted in my post that including Aboriginal people in the conversation about the 200th anniversary of colonisation, should not prompt concern, and that contrary to that, Aboriginal people should be front and centre in thinking about the 200th anniversary,” Ms Fitzhardinge said.
“While my statement was prompted by Mr Dowson’s email, it was directed at need for the inclusion of Aboriginal people in the history of Fremantle…I did not mean to imply that either Mr Dowson or the members of the Fremantle Society had suggested that Aboriginal people’s role in post-Colonial Fremantle should be ignored or otherwise marginalised.
Imputations
“To the extent that my publication did convey those imputations, they were wrong, and I apologise to Mr Dowson and the Fremantle Society for any such suggestion.”
The Chook quizzed Ms Fitzhardinge on a rumoured 18-year non-disclosure agreement about the settlement, but she says she is “not at liberty” to respond to details about its terms.
Ms Fitzhardinge says she’s “waiting to see how they handle multiple conflicts of interest” about the candidate’s debate before she officially announces her attendance.
The event is organised by Notre Dame, the Fremantle Network, Fremantle Shipping News and the Society, but Ms Fitzhardinge initially told organisers she wouldn’t attend if the Society was involved.
Mr Dowson told the Herald this week he would concede not to speak before the event as he usually does to improve diplomacy.
In her online statement, Ms Fitzhardinge also acknowledged that residents “should freely be able to express their views” about the commemoration and that it is “wrong to stifle debate” on the issue.
“It is also very important that every resident and ratepayer be able to have their say on all issues impacting on the City, and particularly significant issues such as the 200th anniversary of colonisation in Fremantle,” she said.
by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER