public meeting - our disappearing forests

click on image for enlarged copy

When: Thursday 24th June

Where: Memorial Hall, Healesville

When: 7:00pm

Cost: free

council considers cockatoo curb

At this week’s council meeting I intend to move the following motion in response to a commitment I gave community members at a recent public meeting in Kallista about the ongoing problem with cockatoos.

Motion :
That a report be prepared for Council examining options for prohibiting or discouraging the feeding of cockatoos in the Shire of Yarra Ranges. Options to be investigated should include the following alternatives:

(a) the use of the existing Animal Control Law, which regulates the way in which feed may be stored;
(b) the use of the nuisance provisions of the Health Act to either regulate or prohibit feeding;
(c) the creation of a new local law, or the amendment of an existing Animal Control Local Law, to prohibit feeding altogether.

The report should be delivered to council by the last meeting of November, 2009. The report should address the legal and operational implications of each option and recommend the most effective mechanism for reducing the impact of cockatoos on Yarra Ranges communities.

Background/Supporting Information :
At a recent public meeting in Kallista the issue of feeding of cockatoos was raised, specifically regarding those residents who continue to feed cockatoos and by doing so cause damage to neighbouring properties.

It was recognised that education was a key focus to assist residents to understand that feeding cockatoos has the unintended consequence of damage to timber, mortar, power supply lines and various other fixtures on public and private property.

This view is supported by the DSE and can be referenced in their Living with Wildlife 1 factsheet “For example, cockatoos need to chew items to maintain their beaks at the correct length and condition. They generally achieve this by chewing bark and branches in their roost trees. When people give them food, they tend to hang around near where they are fed.

They also have more “free time” as they don’t need to forage. This can result in cockatoos chewing on timber fittings, outdoor furniture, other household fittings or vegetation on neighbouring properties. The best solution is to find out who is feeding the birds and ask them to stop.”

However there are still residents who refuse to stop feeding cockatoos and are having a deleterious affect on their neighbour’s health, wellbeing and amenity. It is clear that enforcement has a role to play in curbing feeding of cockatoos for those residents who will not stop feeding through an educative process.

It is for this reason that I propose the Shire investigates various mechanisms to provide a legal framework to address the issue of backyard feeding of cockatoos.

I do hope my colleagues support the motion, people in the region are frustrated, angry and upset about the ongoing damage to their property caused by the feeding of cockatoos. It must be recognised that any action council may take will only impact on backyard feeders, there is still the issue of feeding at Grant’s Picnic Ground, but that one I'll be taking up with our local MP and the state government.

community comes out

Today I went to a public meeting of the Dandenong Ranges Community Bushfire Group at Burrinja, which has come about due to the extraordinary efforts of two local women, Jo Hirst and Mel Gajdek.

Jo, me and Mel at Burrinja.

Mel and Jo felt very strongly about the need for a Dandenong Ranges community response to feed into the Royal Commission into the Victoria Bushfires. They initially started with a survey to gather the key issues of concern from the community, from the survey came some key areas of focus which were broadly grouped into the following categories: Early Warning Systems, Fuel Reduction, Refuges, Communication and Education.

All participants had the opportunity to have their say on all of the areas of concern with the room divided into 'stations'. Groups circulated to each station which ensured there was extensive dialogue on all of the issues raised through the survey.

Mel and Jo have done this off their own bats, they have had the help of many, however their efforts are a credit to them and their passion to see this project through. Today's public meeting was a facilitated community consultation, further exploring the key concerns in each of the categories mentioned earlier from the survey results.

The day was very well attended with around 100 locals ready to input their thoughts on the various issues. Well done Mel and Jo, your community passion is outstanding and your efforts were well rewarded with a great turn out on the day.

the tecoma supermarket application – the public meeting

Last night I was invited to a public meeting to discuss the Tecoma Supermarket application. It was a very hot and oppressive night but in spite of the hot weather many community members came out to share their concerns and get some pointers about what to address in their objections.

I estimate there was around 150 – 200 people there and a quick show of hands indicated that 99% of those there were against the application. There was also a couple in support of the application.

I asked for Shire of Yarra Ranges staff to come along to answer any questions the community may have, our traffic engineer and two executive statutory planners were kept busy with a vast array of questions from the community.














Today I’ve had some terrific feedback from community members about the meeting, people were pleased about the level of contact with planners and the fact that I was there listening to them and their concerns along with two of my colleagues.

I reiterated to the community my position in relation to the application...

“As the councillor for Tecoma I am here to listen to you. No decision has been made. It is not council’s application but council is the responsible authority and it is up to council to weigh up the merits of the application against the planning scheme but it is NOT council’s application.

Many people in the community have asked what my view of the supermarket application in Tecoma is, I can understand your need to know as the application is a significant development for the region.

Councillors must be fair to both objectors and applicants and consider all the facts before them prior to making a decision. The 'bias rule' of natural justice requires decision makers not only to be impartial but to conduct themselves so that no fair minded person might reasonably believe the decision maker was biased.

It would be unfair of me to state a position prior to this application coming to council. I know this is frustrating for you, the community but I want to make sure that I am sitting at the table representing you when the time comes to vote.

I can assure you I will take into account each and every one of the matters raised in submissions (both for and against), to date council has received over 400 objections and 1 letter of support.

I have always listened to the community and I always will, I want to be at the table representing the community when the time comes to vote on the Tecoma Supermarket application.”