Big to stop Kingborough Council’s crackdown on dogs fails

THE Kingborough Council has rejected a motion to withdraw changes to its dog management policy, with the draft policy to go before the council in the coming weeks despite widespread community concern.

Dog owners and their four-legged friends at a recent Kingston Beach rally about Kingborough Council's dog management policy plans. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

THE Kingborough Council has rejected a motion to withdraw changes to its dog management policy, with the draft policy to go before the council in the coming weeks despite widespread community concern.

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The council last night voted down a motion to implement an independent committee to produce a new draft policy, which would be considered by the community and council.

However, Mayor Steve Wass said establishing a committee was rejected because it was “ultra vires”, or beyond the power of council.

“We were told … it would never cross the line,” he said.

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Ted braved the driving wind and rain to give his dog Snoot a walk at Kingston Beach. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

Instead Cr Wass said the original changes, which would ban dogs at all times from most beaches except the off-lead beaches at Kingston and Clarks beaches, would now go to the council in four to six weeks.

The changes would see off-lead dog areas curtailed, off-lead walking on the Alum Cliffs Track lost and a total ban on dog access to the popular Tinderbox Hill Track for nine months of the year.

Dogs would also be banned from proximity to shops and within 10m of playgrounds.

Submissions to the proposed changes closed yesterday, Cr Wass said.

This month, residents gathered at Kingston dog beach to protest the changes. The Kingborough Dog Walking Association, which proposed the committee, has said the policy failed to give dog owners a fair go and the decision to no longer allow dogs at sports grounds while sport was being played was un-Australian.

Dog owners and their four-legged friends at a recent Kingston Beach rally about Kingborough Council's dog management policy plans. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN