Cr Nicole Seymour takes a 72% pay rise as Knox Deputy Mayor.  Knox ratepayers pay this increase.  Cr Nicole Seymour pushed for 24-hr cat curfew from January 2019.  Cr Seymour’s Facebook page: Community Matters Most states owning two dogs.  'Personal interest' record shows residential landlord of a next-door property. 

Cr Pearce announced: 'due to the Independent Remuneration Tribunal…resulted in a 72% increase in the allowance of the Deputy Mayor (without an) increase in responsibilities.  … So I’m stepping back from the Audit & Risk and ICT Governance Committees to offer the opportunity to the current Deputy Mayor…to move onto both of those committees should Cr Seymour choose to do so.'  26th April Meeting 

Remember Knox borrowing $50million this year, with the $78million debt?  In April 2022 Knox has revised both the 2021-2022 and the 2022-2023 Budgets, delaying some of the planned capital works, raising charges by 1.75%, (and adding in pay rises) with 2022-2023 new borrowing of $34million. Darren Pearce says rates will rise 4-10%. Cr Nicole Seymour said ‘the reality is for some parts of Knox we will be seeing…rate increases above 1.75%’  ‘this is a buckle-down, roll-your-sleeves up, and be as fiscally responsible as we can’.  ‘This is a difficult Budget, we have made a decision not to load up our capital works program…there will be some groups and clubs..feel shortchanged that their project didn’t get up in this …year, reality is …Budget constraints.. in…our Capital Works program needed to be done, so it’s just good governance, good housekeeping.’  

Revised 2021-2022 Budget p9 https://www.knox.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-04/2022-04-11%20-%20Agenda%20Meeting%20of%20Council.pdf        Revised 2022-2023 Budget p203 https://www.knox.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-04/_2022-04-26-%20Agenda%20Meeting%20of%20Council.pdf                  Have Your Say online will take public submissions on the 2022-2023 Budget closing on 29th of May  https://haveyoursay.knox.vic.gov.au/budget  Cr Pearce article of rate rises  p12 http://rlcnews.com.au/pdf/?magazinemonth=May-2022&fbclid=IwAR1J7y85n56aZm_GB9Tj5KFxaDZn3zyOD1ZiQRP9DxOZCA7Q0zRxYu8BRPw

At the April Meeting two main pushers of the 24-hr Cat Curfew Order spoke for democracy.  Yet they have prevented Knox residents’ democratic rights for consultation.  Knox Council has not followed ‘transparency’.  The Domestic Animal Management (DAMP) Surveys are unverifiable, not ‘random sample’ and did not follow the Local Government Act, the Knox Community Engagement Policy, and the Health and Wellbeing Plan.

So far the Victorian Ombudsman has not displayed impartiality, and no accuracy.  Instead citing Council’s untruths without evidence.  We gave evidence that was not considered.  The Request for Review is almost ready but we need political support to succeed.  Please sign and share our petitions with Victorians, for a fair go.

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

Share Links & QR codes: https://www.facebook.com/savedandenong.foothills  Print poster PDFs: https://www.academia.edu/74853547/Victorian_poster 

Cruelty to cats is the issue that matters most to me as it affects home and family and living well.  I would like to know if anyone has sussed-out politicians who might help us?  So far only Kim Wells office has been helping.  We need to know in this current election who might stand against Councils denying us democracy, ‘integrity’ agencies that do not do their job, and against cruelty to cats?  Knox residents should not have to give up equality, and healthy lives, to live in caged homes, or in fear of neighbours, just because we dare to love a cat, and not a dog (or both).

Animal Justice Party office says their members are 50/50 divided on caging cats.  They referred me to Animal Justice main office in Geelong, to ask to publicly question the Knox DAMP unverifiable surveys.  The office manager says ‘There are too many cats’ and that ‘What’s wrong with Knox?  We get so many calls from there.’   He says he believes in 24-hr cat curfews, and thinks cats are not being treated differently from dogs. 

During this battle I have learnt that names are words that cannot be trusted - only actions.  Look at the RSPCA name ‘prevention of cruelty to animals’ yet they kill more cats than any other org in Australia.  The name ‘Justice’ not extending to cats, and condoning corruption in ‘process’.  People can be judged by how well they treat animals.  We need politicians who do not misuse power to condemn, to admirably speak up for silent cats.  Does anyone know the exact stance of the names on our voting forms?

All residents are impacted by the 24-hr Cat Curfew Order - Knox Council says they will charge All rate-payers more for enforcement of 24-hrs.

Knox Councillors’ Facebooks - ‘proud’ ‘community leaders’ ‘legacy’ during the pandemic and war.

Councillors who voted for 24-hrs

Nicole Seymour ‘Community Matters Most’  https://www.facebook.com/CrNicoleSeymour residential landlord, pushed for 24-hr cat lifetime lockdown since, at least, January 2019

Jude Dwight ‘Because I care’  https://www.facebook.com/JudeDwightChandler 

Marcia Timmers-Leitch  https://www.facebook.com/MarciaTimmersLeitch  residential landlord

Susan Laukens  https://www.facebook.com/SusanLaukensforKnox 

Yvonne Allred  https://www.facebook.com/YvonneAllredBaird 

Meagan Baker  https://www.facebook.com/CrMeaganBaker

Councillors voting against 24-hrs

Darren Pearce  https://www.facebook.com/CrDarrenPearce  (Darren Pearce changed his vote to against, but believes in 24-hrs for future cats)

Lisa Cooper  https://www.facebook.com/MayorLisaCooper (did not attend February’s DAMP cat vote)

Sorina Grasso  https://www.facebook.com/CrSorinaGrasso

Knox Deputy Mayor 72% payrise, ‘into effect from 18 December 2021.’  'deputy mayor allowance, will increase to $59,658 for this year'. Star Mail 28.4.2022 Yarra Ranges and Knox are in tier 3: https://ferntreegully.mailcommunity.com.au/news/2022-04-28/council-welcomes-changes-to-remuneration-allowances/

Councillors Personal Interest: https://www.knox.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-10/Personal%20Interest%20Return%20-%20Public%20Summary%20-%20Returns%20to%2030%20Sep%202021.pdf