Last night (7 February) our Council reaffirmed its commitment to continuing with the repair and reinstatement of the Captain Cook statue vandalised in St Kilda on 25 January.
This followed discussion on a Notice of Motion, which was amended in the Chamber, to support the repairs and for a community consultation to be held on the location and context of the statue.
Although the Notice of Motion was not adopted, we are united as a Council in sending a very clear message to vandals that they do not dictate which cultural public assets are allowed to stand in our City.
Council Officers are continuing their work for the reinstatement including engagement with Heritage Victoria. We anticipate having a plan for the reinstatement in the next couple of weeks.
Conversations to understand the views of Traditional Owner groups will continue including ways in which our Council could better recognise the perspectives, experiences and history of First Nations people.
Officers will also look at options to reduce the chances of future vandalism including the provision of contextual information.
