ROADSIDE tributes will be reviewed by Ipswich City Council after its refusal of an application from a grieving mother to install a cross where her daughter died.
As reported in last week’s Local Ipswich News, domestic violence advocate Colleen Eggmolesse requested the tribute, with the permission of the Leichhardt homeowner, in memory of her daughter Kierra-Lea Jensen who was allegedly murdered by her de facto partner in July last year.
Kitchel Kevin Shillingsworth was charged with murder (domestic violence) and is yet to face trial on the matter.
Mayor Teresa Harding voted against the council committee recommendation to refuse the memorial.
Cr Harding said that while the tribute did not fit into Council policy, the request came back to councillors to consider a broader view.
“I think that the tribute should proceed,” she said.
“It is just a small cross. It would mean a lot to the family to have a memorial place.”
All other councillors voted to refuse the tribute.
Infrastructure, Planning and Assets Committee Chairman Andrew Antoniolli said no councillors were insensitive to the request during discussions in the committee meeting.
“What was discussed was the need for us to revisit this policy, to look and see if we can broaden the scope and find some alternative opportunities in relation to this,” he said.
Cr Antoniolli said there had been a number of similar applications where councillors “had the difficulty of coping with the sensitivities of the matter” as well as the intention of applicants.
He said a workshop to review policies on tributes and memorials had been scheduled.
Cr Antoniolli said there would be an opportunity to discuss the application in the future if Mrs Eggmolesse decided to revisit it if changes were made to the policy.
“Obviously there is a lot of discussion in relation to it. It is a very delicate matter, very sensitive matter and we need to have those discussions on a roundtable or in a workshop,” he said.
