We have requested an Internal Review. The Victorian Ombudsman Outcome has not displayed accuracy, and no impartiality. Re-stating Council’s claims, without asking for evidence. Our evidence was not considered. Dates have been altered to make it appear that there was community engagement and consultation in July. Enactment date changed from 28th of June, to the 23rd of August, 2021.
28th of June 2021 vote for 24-hr-cat-curfew Order made without any community consultation. Knox Council did not inform of considering a 24-hr cat curfew. Residents heard of the Order via external news reports.
July 2021 Dog and cat survey for DAMP 2021-2025’s question 6 states: ‘Update’ ‘recently decided’ ‘Ahead of the cat curfew commencing’. Responses to question 6 are then claimed as ‘feedback’, to obscure the lack of consultation on the 24-hr Order. Council claims ‘support for a curfew’, includes those against 24-hrs, who support only a night curfew, and hides dissenting views.
23rd of August 2021 Stated as the actual date of the Order. Noted that the Order was made under the DAMP 2017-2021, which did not have provision for a 24-hr-cat-curfew.
28th February 2022 The DAMP 2021-2025, containing provision for the 24-hr-cat-curfew is passed.
The Victorian Ombudsman believes Council ‘checked their figures’, without evidence. Melbourne University and Newfocus gave quotes for making professional ‘random-sample’ surveys, which were never made. MelbUni's quote figure was altered from ‘800’ to ‘400’. Council’s online survey was not a random-sample. Knox Council did not consult the community on 24-hours. Knox Council did not follow its Community Engagement Policy and its Health and Wellbeing Plan. Knox DAMP surveys are unverifiable and could be completed pretending that the respondent was a cat-owner, a dog-owner, had no pets, choosing different residential suburbs, completed anonymously, multiple times.
Read Ombudsman Outcome with our Request for Internal Review: https://www.academia.edu/79098963/Knox_AdvoCats_Victorian_Ombudsman_Outcome_Request_for_Review download ('on free tier') or I can email to you
Important to keep all your correspondence to-and-from Council. It shows that there was no consultation before Council voted on June 28th 2021, and the few, if any, replies reveal unresponsive, unhelpful non-answers, that Knox has not followed its own policies. Some residents' experiences are attached to our Request for Review.
Please help get signatures to Parliament. Share links and QR codes on Facebooks, with Victorians - 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
Print posters and put up please: https://www.academia.edu/74853547/Victorian_poster : https://www.facebook.com/savedandenong.foothills
Kindness is not a word, it is an action, our kind to not be unkind like their kind.
Thank you Lisa, Anne, Michelle, Valentina, Kirstine, Julianne and always Andy. Thank you Kim Wells office, Peter Lockwood and Tony Holland. Thank you AdvoCats for sharing your stories: Jennifer, Khaliq, Mike, Shirley, Merrilyn, Tom, Alyson, Ann. For fighting for life, respect and care.
Cruelty to Cats crosses all parties. We can judge people by how they treat animals. If Animal Justice Party does not act for cats (as their Geelong Office indicated supporting lifetime lockdowns) then we need politicians with heart and action for those who cannot speak. Thank you all who support consultation and fair-dealing - advocating for wild lives, domestic lives and harmony.
I read some articles on 24-hr curfews across Australia. This is what we are against: misinformation to harm and kill cats. https://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/7662225/cats-foxes-take-toll-on-native-species/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-08/feral-cats-australia-government-rejects-domestic-cat-curfew/100888178: USA 2019: https://www.animals24-7.org/2019/05/12/how-killing-cats-helps-to-keep-aussie-liberal-party-in-power/
Knox Deputy Mayor's 72% payrise, ‘into effect from 18 December 2021.’ 'with the creation of the deputy mayor allowance, it will increase to $59,658 for this year'. Knox, and Yarra Ranges, are in category 3. https://www.vic.gov.au/allowances-mayors-deputy-mayors-and-councillors https://ferntreegully.mailcommunity.com.au/news/2022-04-28/council-welcomes-changes-to-remuneration-allowances/
Remember Knox borrowing $50million this year, with the $78million debt? In April 2022 Knox has revised the 2021-2022 and the 2022-2023 Budgets, delaying some of the planned capital works, raising rates and charges (adding in new pay rises). 2022-2023 new borrowing of $34million. Cr Pearce says rates will rise between 4-10%.
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