Townsville City Council has revealed the proposed changes to the animal management local law
Some North Queensland residents could soon be banned from owning any new cats if this change to the Townsville City Council local law is approved.
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PROPOSED changes to the Townsville City Council animal management local law could ban Magnetic Island locals from ever owning a cat in the future.
The council is in the process of updating its Local Law 2 Animal Management, which has not been changed for more than a decade.
The proposed changes were presented to the Community Health, Safety and Environmental Sustainability Committee.
As part of this, the council is considering an amendment that would stop residents on Magnetic Island owning cats in the future.
While the cats that currently live on the Island would be able to remain, the potential changes would require the cats to be desexed to stem the wild cat population.
A person choosing to move to the island after the introduction of these proposed changes would not be able to own a cat.
Councillor Maurie Soars, committee chairman, said changing the policy around cats on the world heritage-listed island was a “no-brainer”.
He said similar initiatives had been put in place in other island communities, including Fraser Island where the Brumbies had been removed and domesticated animals were banned.
The registration of cats could also be introduced across the city.
The council report said several suggestions about cats on Magnetic Island had come from within the community.
“On the 4 July 2021, representation was made to council to consider amending the local law in relation to cat management on Magnetic Island. Several of the proposed changes have been included in this draft for consultation,” the report said.
The changes could also make it easier for animal control officers to monitor barking dogs.
Currently, officers must be able to record dogs barking for a period of six minutes in an hour.
However, the proposal is for council officers to record the dogs barking 30 times in the space of an hour.
The council report said the review has been done to ensure that as Townsville grows, a balance can be struck between the positive benefits of owning an animal while maintaining community amenity.
The full council meeting in two weeks will vote on the proposal to amend the local law and to give council officers the ability to consult with the community on the proposed changes.
$4.5m port safety upgrades complete
A NEW $4.5m truck staging area has opened at the Port of Townsville, making room for up to 20 triple road trains to assemble outside the main gates.
The new staging area is expected to make it safer for the 300,000 trucks that pass through the port gates each year.
The purpose-built 13,000sq m combined truck-trailer lay-up area provides comforts for truck drivers, including toilet amenities and shaded outdoor rest areas.
The project was first announced in August 2019, and faced delays.
Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon said the safe and efficient operations of the port was vital to ensure export markets could continue to grow.
“This development will increase productivity and provide comforts to truck drivers who have been essential in keeping Queensland moving and industries operating through the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Port of Townsville Acting Chief Infrastructure Officer Anton van Staden said the new truck staging would reduce on port roads, to improve efficiencies with increasing trade and cargo at the port.
“During vessel loading trucks have queued along port roads for extended periods, disrupting traffic and posing potential safety risks,” he said.
Mundingburra MP Les Walker said the port was an economic driver for the region, which was why the staging area was so important.
RMS Engineering and Construction completed the job, which generated 16 full-time jobs. Only port authorised trucks will be able to access the facility.
Axed candidate banned from parliament
A FORMER One Nation candidate has been banned indefinitely from the Queensland parliamentary precinct after his “immature” act outside Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper’s office.
The Queensland government Ethics Committee has completed a review into an incident involving former Thuringowa candidate Troy Thompson on a visit to parliament during the 2020 election campaign.
The former candidate put election material on the Member for Thuringowa’s office door.
Mr Thompson was later disendorsed after it was discovered he used to have a different legal name and failed to disclose his directorship in a company that went insolvent in 2017.
On August 12 last year, Mr Harper wrote to the Speaker alleging Mirani MP Stephen Andrew had failed to supervise a guest, Mr Thompson, in the parliamentary precinct.
Mr Harper provided the speaker with screenshots from Mr Thompson’s Facebook page in which the candidate appeared to have placed a One Nation brochure on Mr Harper’s office door.
Speaker of the House, Curtis Pitt, referred the matter to the Ethics Committee the next day, saying the “activity could, at best, be considered immature”.
“In any event, it is not appropriate behaviour on the parliamentary precinct.”
In his submissions, Mr Andrew said Mr Thompson was advised to “use the rest room facilities, and please return directly to my office”, and was explicitly told not to go anywhere else, touch anything or leave to speak with anyone without the MP.
This was the second time Mr Andrew, the only sitting One Nation MP in the Queensland parliament, had come under fire due to the behaviour of his guests. His privilege to bring guests to the parliamentary precinct was suspended for six months in 2019.
The committee found that Mr Andrew, in relation to Mr Thompson’s behaviour, did not engage in disorderly conduct or engage in any behaviour that could interfere with the free exercise of assembly.
The committee did find Mr Thompson guilty of contempt because he breached a parliamentary law and was disrespectful to, or diminished the standing, authority or dignity of the parliament.
“Based on the information before the committee, the committee is satisfied that Mr Thompson’s conduct amounts to an improper interference with the free exercise of the assembly of its authority or functions,” the report into the incident said.
However, Mr Thompson was found not guilty of contempt in relation to the allegation he did not prevent Mr Harper from completing his normal duties.
In a letter to the Ethics Committee Mr Thompson clarified that “at no time was there any intent to engage in disorderly conduct”.
He also apologised to Mr Harper and said at no time was there an “intention to intimidate the Member for Thuringowa”.
“I sincerely apologise to Mr Harper MP if he feels my actions have in any way felt this was my intent, I assure the ethics committee this was not my intention, but a mere lapse in judgment on my part,” Mr Thompson wrote.
Mr Thompson declined to comment on the Ethics Committee findings.
Mr Harper told the Townsville Bulletin he was glad to put the issue behind him.
Originally published as Townsville City Council has revealed the proposed changes to the animal management local law
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