Outrage Over Paid Beach Parking As Randwick Mayor Defends Proposal

Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker is standing firm in his support for rolling out ticketed parking across some of Sydney’s most popular eastern beaches – despite the proposal being met with community backlash.

Under the proposal, the council plans to install parking meters across ten beaches around Randwick, including Coogee, Maroubra, Clovelly, La Perouse, Little Bay, Malabar, and Yarra Bay. If adopted, residents would receive free permits per household to be exempt from the charges, while non-residents would be required to pay for parking.

The reasoning for this change is to prevent all-day parking by non-locals and to improve beach access for locals. Additionally, the increase in all-day parking spots is also meant to help fund the $23 million annual cost of preserving the coastline.

Parker argues that this move is justified, claiming residents regularly report being unable to access the beaches during peak summer periods and that this is the fairest way to ensure they aren’t being crowded out.

“One of the key messages which locals have been raising with me has been their inability to actually access the beach, even though they’re paying for it,”  Parker told ABC Radio Sydney.

“We’ve gone to the community with a proposition that we actually think is fairer … that visitors contribute a modest cost to the upkeep of those beaches,” he continues.

54% of residents support paid beach parking – others furious

The council’s survey of 12,039 residents reported that 54 per cent supported the proposal, while a significant 41 per cent voted against it. Parker has also pointed to a separate telephone survey by Tavener Research. The telephone survey’s findings showed greater support for the proposal, with 64 per cent of residents in favour, while an overwhelming 73 per cent of non-locals were opposed. 

“There are ways of increasing the parking turnover effectively without the devastating consequences and impacts of meter parking,” says Anni Haque, a local who also previously campaigned against a 2005 plan for beach parking meters.

Additionally, local business owners near the affected beaches have raised concerns, arguing the survey figures aren’t an accurate reflection of community views. 

Brenton McHatton, owner of Coogee’s beachside café Little Jack Horner, is among many to share their reservations.

McHatton told the Today Show that the plan would result in customers being turned away, leaving small businesses to struggle with rising costs and profit margins. 

“If people every time they park have to go put a dollar in the meter to then go to the shop to get a five-dollar coffee, they’re not gonna come to Coogee,” McHatton explains.

However, Parker has responded to this concern. He noted that business respondents told the survey the proposal would encourage turnover of parking spaces and potentially boost customer traffic to their businesses. 

Beyond this, the consultation process has also come under scrutiny.

CEO of Lonergan Research, Chris Lonergan, criticised the council’s research methods and materials, highlighting that residents were sent a letter and booklet supporting the proposal, which he believes may have skewed the responses.

“It talked about the costs, it talked about the difficulty of finding a park in peak summer conditions, but it didn’t have any discussion or information about opposing views,” Lonergan told ABC News.

Following the feedback and backlash, the council has agreed to revisit its plan and expand the one‑permit‑per‑household limit. They’re also looking at potential exemptions during nippers sessions in response to concerns from surf clubs.

As of now, the proposal remains under review.