Council warned of imminent neo-Nazi threat before Camp Sovereignty attack

The City of Melbourne is being urged to fast-track permanency for Camp Sovereignty after members of the camp’s working group warned the council about the threat of neo-Nazis in February this year, months before the August 31 attack.

Members of the group, which was formed in February, have been working with the council for the past two years to establish improvements that would allow Camp Sovereignty to become a permanent cultural space.

According to the chair of the Victorian NAIDOC Committee Marcia Galea, those still camping at the site are doing so in protest to the council’s slow response to these requests and to protect the area from rising threats.

In an email seen by CBD News, the City of Melbourne’s chief of staff Kirsty Pearce was alerted by Ms Galea in February, that she was increasingly worried about the escalating presence of neo-Nazi groups.

“At the moment, the site remains high risk, particularly with neo-Nazi groups now using the Botanical Gardens as a ‘training ground’,” Ms Galea wrote.

“I am quite worried, especially with the federal election likely to be announced shortly and the escalating visibility of neo-Nazi activity,” she said. “This presents a significant and immediate safety concern for our Elders who are protecting the site, as well as for community members who are present.”

CBD News understands the council's director of Aboriginal Melbourne Jason Eades was also made aware of the threats through the consultation with the working group.

The email to Ms Pearce was sent seven months before the August 31 attack, during which members of the National Socialist Network (NSN) stormed the camp at the Domain Parklands.

Fifteen people have been charged over the attack, including violent disorder, affray, assault, and contravening bail conditions. NSN leader Thomas Sewell was denied bail after prosecutors deemed him an “unacceptable risk” to community safety.

As reported by sibling publication Southbank News in November, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Victoria Police have been criticised for holding back on investigating and prosecuting the attack as a hate crime.

The Camp Sovereignty site was established in 2006 by Krautungalung Elder Robbie Thorpe.

It is also understood that earlier in February, a meeting was held between the council and the working group, where the group’s members called for better communication between the City of Melbourne and Victoria Police over the looming threat.

Despite the warning, Ms Galea received no response at the time. It was not until September 5 – weeks after the attack – that Ms Pearce wrote back to the working group.

“It is regrettable that there has been a lack of consistent engagement from our organisation over the past months,” she said.

“Please know this does not reflect the importance of the work being done at Camp Sovereignty. I want to personally acknowledge this gap and assure you that the project has been re-prioritised and is now actively being managed by the CEO’s office to ensure it receives the attention and continuity it deserves.”

The working group, comprising representatives from Camp Sovereignty and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, has been advocating for a suite of upgrades to ensure the site can become a permanent cultural space in Melbourne.

In the short term, they are seeking immediate support to enable ongoing cultural practice, including weatherproof onsite storage for ceremonial materials, an appropriate firewood solution, a permanent ceremonial fire pit with seating, and temporary accessible pathways.

The group is also urging the council to commit to constructing a compliant disability access ramp, arguing that improved accessibility is a basic requirement under reasonable adjustment and disability standards.

Ms Galea reiterated that those camping on site were doing so in protest to the council’s slow response to these requests.

With Indigenous landscaping forming part of the approved Domain Parklands Master Plan, CBD News understands that the council agreed to progress permanent improvements for Camp Sovereignty in September last year.

It’s understood that the council has been unwilling to commit to a concrete timeline or completion date for the works, citing a need for greater consultation with Traditional Owners – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung.

However, despite a working group having since formed that comprises the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung, delays have continued, and Ms Galea fears the camp will continue to be targeted by neo-Nazis while people remain there.

She said neo-Nazis were present at the Remembrance Day service on November 11, and that employees from the conservative lobby group Advance Australia had also attended events at the camp.

A City of Melbourne spokesperson told CBD News, “Any claim that council failed to act in response to alleged extremist behaviour is completely false.”

They said the council was proud of its “constructive relationship” with the Resting Place Working Group and it confirmed that it would be progressing a range of actions to reinforce the cultural significance of the site.

This includes new signage, accessible pathways, a ceremonial fire pit, improved storage and native planting, as well as broader work to explore the meaning and purpose of the site. •