A GRIEVING mother’s request to put a cross outside the Leichhardt house where her daughter was allegedly murdered is likely to be refused by Ipswich City Council.
Advocate Colleen Eggmolesse has been campaigning to end domestic violence since her daughter Kierra-Lea Jensen was allegedly murdered by her de facto partner in July last year.
She was 28 years old.
Ms Jensen’s de facto partner Kitchel Kevin Shillingsworth was charged with murder (domestic violence) and is yet to face trial on the matter.
Ms Eggmolesse applied to Council in April for a cross to be installed outside the Leichhardt property at Flinders Drive to commemorate the life of her late daughter.
“I would like to just sit there and visit her and drop flowers,” she said in her application.
According to the report to Council, the current homeowner of the Leichhardt property supported a cross being placed outside the house at a nearby power pole.
Ms Jensen has featured in roadside signs erected as part of the She Matters campaign to end domestic violence.
But a report to Council recommends that it refuse the application for the installation of the personal tribute as it did not meet Council’s policy requirements.
The recommendation to refuse the tribute was approved in a unanimous vote by the Infrastructure, Planning and Assets Committee last week and is to be considered in today’s Council meeting.
Council’s policy on roadside tributes defines a “personal tribute” as a “plaque installed on personal tribute
infrastructure in honour of a person or association, including an inscription recognising their connection to an area, eminence or outstanding community endeavour”.
Under the policy, that honour is generally reserved for “respected community members of considerable service who are/were a resident or working within the area”; “where a parcel of land has been gifted or bequeathed as open space by an individual” or “persons with a historical connection to the land or area”.
Ipswich City Council has allowed roadside tributes in the past.
In 2022 the Council went to the lengths of trying to contact an unknown family who erected a floral tribute the Council referred to as “Jack’s memorial” near the Springfield Parkway-Greenbank Arterial Rd during construction work, promising to temporarily remove it during works and return it close to its original location.
Family and domestic violence support services:
- 1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732
- DV Connect Women’s Line: 1800 811 811
- MensLine: 1300 789 978
