Hi everybody,
Andrew Dixon here the starter of this petition from what seems like a lifetime ago. As you know, from tomorrow the 10th of April, the 24hr cat curfew comes into effect. More recently I have just been sharing updates from our community group AdvoCats but I thought I'd type up a few of my own words this time as one final plea because despite the rule coming to effect tomorrow, the fight is not over and it is still not too late to get this overturned even after being implemented. Nicole Seymour seemed more interested in going rollerskating tonight and sucking up to minor celebrities, almost like she was celebrating her ill-gotten curfew, but us AdvoCats have been hard at work this whole time. Often late into the night.
From those who I have spoken to personally, I have found a large amount of Knox folk that are against the 24hr curfew (which is pretty much everyone I've spoken to), are of the mind that they will just be non-compliant. "I'd like to see them try and catch my cat" is a common response. I also know that a lot of residents that will adhere to the new rules, plan to not pay their registration. If cats are inside 24/7 then what's the point?...
Maybe these people are right. Maybe the council really doesn't have as much power as they think they have, and the whole thing backfires with them missing out on revenue from unpaid registrations that they cannot recoup because they are unable to catch these so called pest cats to fine the owners. Maybe they realise it's stray cats that are the problem with no owners to fine. Maybe they're found out to be corrupt and are removed from office before the end of their term. One can only hope...
If any of those people are reading this, what if you're wrong? What if you do get caught and hit with a ludicrously large fine? Do you really want to be looking over your shoulder worrying about your cat everyday while you're at work? About toxic neighbours with nothing better to do than to dob you in?
The good news is, Victoria’s Mount Alexander Shire also had no consultation, and their Council recently voted for lifetime lockdown, but after public outcry quickly amended to sunset-to-sunrise. Frankston residents won against 24-hours, and even got dogs their own beach. There are precedents set to overturn this new rule...
It is possible to overturn this, but we need a large public outcry. Even more so in Knox because the Knox Council is particularly arrogant, incompetent & self serving and remain especially stubborn regarding their own selfish agenda. This whole exercise has really opened my eyes on how hopeless they really are. They don't want Knox residents getting involved in local issues because they can then do what they like under our noses.
And no wonder, because there are facts they do not want you to know but thanks to this exercise, it has come to light:
- Councilors who are also landlords, are using this rule to circumvent the new rental laws that tenants cannot be denied pets. Of course they won't give their tenants permission to build a cat run lowering the value of their properties. Massive conflict of interest.
- This year Knox Council is borrowing $50million dollars which apparently could have 'liabilities of $78.565 million, that in 2022-3 go up to $96 million in money loaned. They are projected to be $30.54 million in debt this year, with an underlying deficit of $54.217 million.
- Council will charge rate-payers more for enforcement of 24-hrs (stated in February 2022 Meeting). This affects everyone.
- Council did not produce any scientific evidence for its claims, instead lifting opinion pieces from websites, and citing the RSPCA - a private org that makes money from killing cats.
- Knox Council told the Victorian Ombudsman they checked their figures with Newfocus and Melbourne University, which they never did. MelbUni and Newfocus gave quotes for making professional ‘random-sample’ surveys, which never happened.
- Council’s online anonymous survey, not on 24-hrs, open worldwide over six months, with less than 0.7% (zero point 7 percent) response, was not a random-sample, and cannot be verified.
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. They tried to sneak it through under the confusion and stress of the pandemic and hope that no-one noticed.
I do not want these self serving hypocrites representing my community however, the election isn't close enough to vote them out yet.
But here's what you can do to help right now:
Sign the two government sponsored petitions:
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
And please spread the word. Whatever medium you like to use. Bookface, Twitthead, Instaglam, email, word of mouth, whatever you can do, and please make sure our aged population knows because guaranteed, not many are even aware of this and many will be affected by it.
If anyone has a shop front and want to support, a downloadable poster PDF is on https://www.academia.edu/74853547/Victorian_poster or share screenshot or QR codes from https://www.facebook.com/savedandenong.foothills or make your own - spread everywhere.
Please don't be complacent and think someone else will fight this battle for you. Many are, but we still need you to speak up and add your voice to the choir. The louder we are, the greater our chances of success.
Anyway that's all from me for now. I'd love to one day be able to check the box on change.org that says "declare victory". Please help me be able to do that.
Regards,
Andrew
P.S. below are links to show I'm not full of it. Unlike our council...
Budget from page 716, Knox Loan borrowing $50 million p26 https://www.knox.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-11/2021-10-25%20-Minutes%20-%20Council%20.pdf
Borrowing $50million pages 3-6. https://www.knox.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-11/2021-11-03%20Ad%20Hoc%20Meeting%20of%20Council.pdf
Yarra Ranges neighbours:
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
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
2017: Facebook page no longer updated https://www.facebook.com/RA24CC Of 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.