SUTHERLAND Shire Council will fight on the beaches to defend the reputation of the region from the spotlight of a new reality television show.
The shire’s beaches, parks and other public areas will be no-go areas for the producers of the new television show The Shire if the council has its way.
In a mayoral minute at this week’s council meeting, mayor Carol Provan stated the council’s opposition to the show after seeing a leaked video promoting it on YouTube, which was later removed.
The video suggested The Shire will be based on the MTV show Jersey Shore, a US reality series that follows the antics of eight young people living together.
Cr Provan said online comment critical of Channel Ten and denigrating shire residents had occurred since the release of the YouTube clip.
‘‘I see the production as an insult to the people of Sutherland Shire, to local business and to our reputation,’’ she said.
The mayor will hold urgent talks with Channel Ten to press that the production shows the shire in a positive light.
But the man responsible for the show, Shine Australia production company managing director Matt Campbell described the show more as a ‘‘real Home and Away’’.
‘‘The clip the mayor saw was shot six months ago and was for a 10.30pm show on digital but what we are making will be PG rated on free-to-air,’’ he said.
‘‘What we are talking about is a whole different territory.’’
The council will seek legal advice to see if it is free to ‘‘not co-operate with the production in any way’’ and encourage businesses and property owners to do the same.
All councils have to grant approval of filming on council-owned or controlled land under the state government’s Filming Approval Act, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Councillor Kent Johns said the producers were going for the lowest form of television. ‘‘It is the equivalent of the Governor of Texas saying it is okay to film Debbie Does Dallas,’’ he said.
Councillor Kevin Schreiber was concerned the show would paint the shire as ‘‘Hicksville’’, while councillor Steve Simpson said he was afraid the producers would depict the area as ‘‘some sort of red neck society back in the 1960s’’.
‘‘Many people are born in the shire and just as many have come from all over the world to make the shire a better place,’’ he said.
Cr Mark Buttigieg said: ‘‘It makes us appreciate how those people out at Mt Druitt and the Western Suburbs are constantly belittled and ridiculed by the Daily Telegraph on a weekly basis.’’
Councillor Craig McCallum accused the producers of dragging the shire ‘‘into the gutter’’. ‘‘The people of Sylvania Waters are still suffering the stigma of the Sylvania Waters program,’’ he said.
CALL FOR BALANCE
Community leaders will argue for ‘‘a balanced story’’ when they meet Channel Ten management this week. Cook MP Scott Morrison arranged the meeting with the network’s chief executive James Warburton after speaking to senior management on Tuesday night. Mr Morrison said he would invite Cronulla MP Mark Speakman and Sutherland mayor Carol Provan to the meeting. ‘‘It’s an opportunity to re-set the process,’’ he said. ‘‘I think there is genuine concern about the intentions of this program and Channel Ten needs to be able to clarify their intentions.’’
‘‘The meeting will provide that, and it will also be an opportunity to discuss community concerns and how those concerns can be alleviated.
‘‘The story needs to be balanced to show the true nature of our shire and the great nature of our people.’'
Do you support the council’s decision not to co-operate with the producers of The Shire?
