By Christine de Kock
ANGRY Vietnamese traders and other members of the community filled the Town Hall’s reception room last Tuesday, to protest against the installation of parking meters in the area around Little Saigon.
More than 100 people attended the Maribyrnong City Council’s community access meeting.
Footscray Asian Business Association (FABA) president Dai Nguyen called on the council to stop “milking the poor”, when he gave a presentation to councillors.
He said there was a lack of community consultation about the installation of the meters and that the meters would drive business away from the district.
If the council needed to raise revenue then his association would be happy to assist with fund raising, he said, but the parking meters should be removed.
“It discourages customers to come to Footscray,” Mr Nguyen said.
“At Highpoint you do it a different way, you encourage free parking for people to come and shop.
“What happened to Footscray traders? Killed.”
The FABA raised the issue this month with the council and the council decided not to enforce meter parking for a limited time.
Mr Nguyen called on the council to make this situation clear.
He said the council should erect signage telling drivers that they did not have to use the parking meters.
He also presented the council with a petition signed by 2000 traders who were against the machines.
Nick Foa, general manager of the council’s corporate services. said signage would not be erected.
He said that the parking meters were introduced to increase customer turnover in the area, not to increase council revenue.
After the introduction of meters in Nicholson St there was a 551 drop in infringement notices served to drivers who overstayed their parking, he said.
“This strategy is designed to help business by increased turnover of parking bays,” he said.
“Based on the petition given to council by FABA, a significant number – over 50 per cent- of customers – come to Footscray from outside the municipality.
“This proves Footscray is a popular shopping destination in its own right; providing more access to parking can only increase its popularity. “The amount charged, 90 cents per hour, is deliberately set at the lower end so as to not discourage shoppers.”
Other municipalities had comparatively higher meter charges, he said, but Mr Nguyen said a family would pay $400 to $600 if they visited Little Saigon three times a week. That was based on 90 cents an hour, for two hours for 50 weeks, times two drivers.
He said these families visited shops and restaurants for goods such as vegetables, which were unavailable in mainstream stores.
Mayor Janet Rice said extensive community consultation had been undertaken with the traders before the installation of the parking meters.
She said council officers went door to door to speak to traders and a listing of all such meetings was being collated.
The issue will be raised today (19 September) at the council meeting.
Cr Rice said if there was a review of the parking meters then there would a review of the parking strategy throughout Footscray.
