There are now two petitions - one to the Legislative Council - Upper House and one to the Legislative Assembly - Lower House. Kim Wells MP is sponsoring the Legislative Assembly Petition. Peter Lockwood, former Knox Mayor, is the contact. Victorians, please sign (once on each).
Legislative Council: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/petitions/electronic-petitions/view-e-petitions/details/12/446
Legislative Assembly: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/assembly/petitions/e-petitions/view-sign-e-petitions/details/55/108
Please share the link with Victorians - with email contacts, phone contacts, Facebooks, Twitter, social media accounts, put up small posters in coffee shops, businesses, contact media to tell them your stance and story, talk to people and ask them to sign to gain a Judicial Inquiry. QR code links to the petitions are here: https://www.facebook.com/savedandenong.foothills or you can make your own at https://www.qr-code-generator.com
Council told the Ombudsman they checked their figures with Newfocus and Melbourne Uni, which they never did. MelbUni and Newfocus gave quotes for making a professional ‘random-sample’ survey, which never happened. Council’s online worldwide, anonymous, survey was not a random-sample, and cannot be verified. Council never consulted the community on 24-hours. Knox Council did not follow its Community Engagement Policy and its Health and Wellbeing Plan. The Victorian Ombudsman has not tried to be impartial or accurate. Since government integrity agencies display collusion and corruption, we need to show in great numbers that this matters to us.
There is only one of me. I have spent over eight months, very often everyday till 1am researching, writing, applying and fighting against the 24-hr cat curfew. Yet do residents care? There are over 7000 cat-owners in Knox, it only takes a few minutes to sign the petitions to the Legislative Council and Assembly. Many signatures are needed to try to gain a Judicial Inquiry. Without many Victorians supporting and signing, nothing will change. Council did not listen - this needs to go higher - to Parliament. We are petitioning for Council to adhere to law. Politicians help if Victorians show their numbers.
I do not have social media, or even a mobile phone. We need the petition links spread across Victoria and I cannot do this. Since December 2020 I have fought a corrupt Council hiding planning objections. I am not a politician. Am I stupid and wasting my time - well, I am if residents do not stand together and act. Divided communities fall, our cats and the poorest will pay the highest price.
Do you give up, or stand up? Of 7000 Knox cat owners, just 73 wrote in against the 24-hr cat curfew in the DAMP 2021-2025. If you care, then please show it.
Thank you to the residents who have helped - you are special and so appreciated! I have put my life on hold for over two years, eight-plus months on the 24-hr cat curfew, our home is damaged and I cannot keep volunteering if residents do not care. My own cat does not go past our property - I thought I was fighting for our communities’ future, but I have no future living here if residents want a Dogtown, without equality, and cruelty to cats. It will be much harder in two years facing fines in court alone against anonymous accusers represented by Council, when many cat-owners will have moved to kinder climes. Less adopted cats, less joy, many cats killed while Council sticks to its ‘right pet’ of a dog. I can only do so much, and I am exhausted, now it is over to you, to everybody to show your colours. Thank you, Ashlley Morgan - Shae
Knox has exactly copied neighbour Yarra Ranges Council eight years ago - do you want the same trajectory?
2014: change.org petition rejected by Council- 2666 signatures (generally Councils do not accept petitions without addresses - read the Councillor Response at the top)
https://www.change.org/p/yarra-ranges-abolish-the-imposed-24-hour-cat-curfew
Facebook page no longer updated
https://www.facebook.com/RA24CC
It looks like of the eight councillors who voted for 24-hr cat curfew in 2014, only two lost in 2016, three retired in 2020, three have been re-elected twice more in 2016 and 2020 and are still there in 2022, while cat-owners still suffer in Yarra Ranges.
2016: Two years after passing the law, Yarra Ranges Council issuing many high fines
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/outer-east/hundreds-fined-for-breaching-yarra-ranges-cat-curfew/news-story/c2bbca2d9fab490d1278aa6b494c6c1c