We need Knox residents to contact Councillors before Monday night’s meeting to ask them to vote against the new Domestic Animal Management Plan 2021 containing the 24-hour Cat Curfew. Councillor phone numbers and email contacts below. Please ring/sms/email Councillors.
If the Councillors vote this through on Monday 25th Oct 7pm, then 28 Oct - 28 Nov will be their last ‘feedback’ finalising the 24-hr Cat Curfew. We will all need to revise our complaints, against the new DAMP and send them in again then.
Points we can use - Council is unfairly targeting cats, and their owners, in the absence of any evidence, the sunset-to-sunrise pilot did not have evidence of efficacy - no scientific evidence was collected
- Council are facilitating hate speech towards cats
- Complaints of dog nuisance are triple that of cats, yet Knox has a Council Order allowing dogs off-lead in almost 300 parks, reserves and sporting fields
- Council is advantaging dog-owners, and disadvantaging cat-owners
- 80percent of impounded cats are not the registered cats owned by the residents afflicted by the 24-hr cat curfew (latest 2020 figures)
- Council is claiming ‘animal welfare experts’ that are private organisations that are not experts in animal welfare. SeptemberKnox News, again quoted an ‘animal welfare expert’, who does not have qualification, and who is contracted to Knox Council. The RSPCA (private org) euthanised 9714 cats in 2019-2020. Is being a leading contract killer an 'expert'? They are not animal welfare experts, nor are they experts in wildlife conservation
- Knox Council did not advertise its proposed law of 24-hours, and used a flawed feedback survey for a night curfew, to instead put through a very different law that harms many residents
- the surveys used to make this law could be accessed beyond Australia, allowed multiple responses from a person anonymously, anyone could say they were a cat or dog owner, etc, and there is no verification
- there is already state law in place to deal with nuisance cats (Section 23 DAA 1994), so is it ethical or legal for the burden of proof be lowered by Knox Council to make the collection of revenue (enforcement) easier?
- a 24-hr cat curfew divides the community, and removes cat-owners rights to know the identity of the accuser. It enables neighbours to target and victimise a minority group - aided and encouraged by Council
Remember in the Local Government Act
The primary principle of councillor conduct is that in performing their role, a councillor must: - act with integrity; - impartially exercise responsibilities in the interests of the local community; - not improperly seek to confer an advantage, or disadvantage, on any person.
Specific principles include the obligation to:- treat all persons with respect;- exercise reasonable care and diligence;- act lawfully; and - lead by example and act in a way that secures public confidence in the office of Councillor.
The Local Government Act 2020 ‘Misuse of position’ means attempt to gain advantage; to cause detriment to another person; making improper use of information. Transparency of decisions, actions, clear information, community engagement for those affected, and not being inconsistent with human rights.
Link to read the DAMP 2021-2024 draft https://www.knox.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-10/2021-10-25%20-%20Agenda%20Meeting%20of%20Council%20Part%202%20of%202%20.pdf
Most of the 3317 responses were due to this petition's call-out, though Council instead claims it was a success of their SMS messaging. The DAMP does not mention our concerns - a false survey again used to falsify for Council Agenda.
Who benefits from this 24-hr cat curfew?
The wild life being decimated by overdevelopment where Council does not listen and prevents community consultation?
The 80percent of unregistered cats, now more likely to face death than adoption?
The cat-owners forced to live in cages, like their cats, with wire enclosures, and high-fenced yards?
The renters denied their hard-won rights to keep their cats?
The foxes, owls, dogs and humans who all have more rights than cats?
The neighbours who can hide their identities to get rid of cat-owner neighbours?
The community divided between those with rights, and those without as ‘second-class’?
Council from the high fines, made easy from many being unable to comply?
It is not that we cannot see clearly - it is that we see all too well.
Difference is not a reason to deny rights. When is it ever okay to act unconscionably and to blame others? Or to misuse power to harm lives? Knox dog-owners are three times that of cat-owners - we all need to stand up for our community and not be divided. Welcome pet owners and good neighbours! We love our fur families.
Cat Lives Matter! Thank you all AdvoCats!
Councillor Contacts
Cr Lisa Cooper 0407 240 275 Cr.Lisa.Cooper@knox.vic.gov.au
Cr Yvonne Allred 0437 906 189 Cr.Yvonne.Allred@knox.vic.gov.au
Cr Susan Laukens 0437 882 913 Cr.Susan.Laukens@knox.vic.gov.au
Cr Meagan Baker 0437 808 011 Cr.Meagan.Baker@knox.vic.gov.au
Cr Sorina Grasso 0437 853 445 Cr.Sorina.Grasso@knox.vic.gov.au
Cr Darren Pearce 0402 780 950 Cr.Darren.Pearce@knox.vic.gov.au
Cr Jude Dwight 0437 877 176 Cr.Jude.Dwight@knox.vic.gov.au
Cr Marcia Timmers-Leitch 0428 162 218 Cr.Marcia.Timmers-Leitch@knox.vic.gov.au
Monday 25th Oct 7pm Meeting Stream http://webcast.knox.vic.gov.au/video.php (After the meeting it goes to the archived meetings link)
Please let affected Knox residents know how to join our Ombudsman case. Each resident needs to individually send their authority (petitions are not accepted.)
Please copy this sentence: I give authority for Knox AdvoCats to act on my behalf with regards to the complaint to the Victorian Ombudsman case no: C/21/19177 (adding your name, address Or suburb, postcode and email address, and phone number - two methods of contact are needed: phone & email or mail address. Please add your signature if sending by post.) with Case number C/21/19177 in the email subject line. Please email to: complaints@ombudsman.vic.gov.au or by mail to Victorian Ombudsman, Level 2, 570 Bourke St, Melbourne, Vic 3000
Names and contacts will be confidential to the Ombudsman. Formal Complaint can be read on academia.edu (free to join and download.) https://www.academia.edu/52471373/24_hr_Cat_Curfew_Knox_Council_Trajectory_and_Formal_Complaint or email me to send it to you. morgan-shae@ihug.com.au