EXCLUSIVE: Councillors Implicated In Annandale Fall Out

Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne has responded to the anger of The Annandale Hotel's former owners Matt and Dan Rule over the council's handling of the live music venue, admitting that they have a right to feel aggrieved.

Today Matt Rule went public with their frustrations and Byrne – who became Mayor in September last year – agreed with their anger.

“The Rule brothers and music fans are right to be furious with the previous Council,” he said in a statement. “Immediately after becoming Mayor five months ago I moved to overturn Council's [persecution] of live music venues. Prior to the last election I met with the Rule brothers and offered my unqualified support for any changes they needed from Council. I remain as committed as ever to seeing the Hotel continue as an iconic live music venue.”

In 2004 the Annandale Hotel lodged a Development Application to extend their trading hours to 3am and were granted a 12 month trial. After six months they applied to make the change permanent but on 26 April 2005 the council refused the application. According to council documents, local resident Joanna Harris addressed the meeting and tabled letters and a petition against the DA.

Five days earlier on 21 April 2005 Leichhardt Council had produced a report examining the hotel's application. It found that despite the concerns of three residents – including Harris – over noise and anti-social behaviour they saw no reason not to grant the 3am license.

“An acoustic report has been submitted with (sic) concludes that the noise from the hotel itself are within LAB levels,” it read.

In regards to anti-social behaviour the report found that the venue's “comprehensive security management plan” was in line with council's requirements, and “it is considered that the operation of the hotel can be permitted in a manner which will ensure that the amenity of neighbours is protected.”

Despite this report, the then-Labor Council voted 10 to 2 to reject the application.

Today theMusic.com.au can reveal that a number of Greens party members also voted against the Annandale Hotel in 2005, including Jamie Parker who is currently the state MP for Balmain. This year Parker instigated a petition to show support for the Annandale Hotel and declared it a success earlier this week.

“Our petition let the receivers know loud and clear the huge level of community support to retain live music at the Annandale,” he said Tuesday.

Other Councillors who voted to reject the Annandale Hotel in 2005 and are still on the Council include fellow Greens members Rochelle Porteous and Michele McKenzie. The only remaining Councillor who can say they actively supported the Annandale Hotel during 2005 is Vera-Ann Hannaford, a member of the Liberal Party.

Parker was elected Mayor in 2008 and told theMusic today that he was been an unequivocal supporter of the venue since then. Under Parker the Council approved the venue's 2009 DA to build a restaurant and launch their popular Pub Cha, and helped protect the venue against a sizeable development which was being approved next door.

The Rule brothers had taken to the press after the closure of the Hopetoun Hotel to publicise their issues with the Council and the Land & Environment court, which was costing both they and the Council hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Parker told theMusic today, "I was disappointed that the previous Labor and Liberal led Council was unable to cooperatively resolve issues with the Annandale Hotel in 2005/6, which led to a long and expensive court case. My heart goes out to the Rule brothers who have been such strong supporters of live music."

“This week I wrote to the Council and spoke to the Mayor to ask them to review the Council regulations on the venue, including operating hours.”

Today Mayor Byrne said, “The Council's decision [in 2005] to ignore the advice of staff and force the Annandale to close early was wrong, opportunistic and short sighted. In pandering to three NIMBY [Not In My Back Yard] complainers instead of standing up for this iconic venue the previous Council contributed directly to today's crisis. I will continue to fight everyday to bring the Annandale and Sydney's live music scene back to life and I don't give a damn if I upset a few self interested NIMBY's along the way."