NEVER ask a question to which you don’t already know the answer is sage advice often given to young lawyers.

And it seems Cr David Rooks was following that adage himself last week when he posed a question about an issue he knew had political implications, especially on pooch-loving Phillip Island, where postal voting in the annual elections is still in full swing.

Just 29.52 per cent of Island voters had returned their ballots by close of business on Friday.

The catalyst for Cr Rooks’ question was a statement in both the shire’s annual report 2023-24 and its quarterly community report ending June 30, 2024, to the effect that council action plan item ‘Develop a Dog Park Strategy’ was 100% complete.

The only problem with that statement is that few if any councillors, other than Cr Rooks, and no stakeholders knew development of the strategy had even been started.

In fact, one of the key community groups, the Bass Coast Phillip Island Dog Owners Association had been told by “one of the council’s big wigs” the exact opposite only two weeks earlier.

General Manager Business Transformation at the Bass Coast Shire Council, Robyn Borley, had just finished providing her preamble to the presentation of the Quarterly Community Report, for the period ending June 30, 2024, at last Wednesday’s council meeting, where ‘develop a dog park strategy’ was described as “achieved, no further action required”.

Clearly aware of the political implications, Cr Rooks posed a question, seeking clarification.

“I would like to talk to one item in the annual action plan, which is the development of the dog park strategy,” said Cr Rooks.

“I was wondering if I could put a question forward first, just with regard to what are the components that are within the dog park strategy that’s been developed?” asked Cr Rooks.

Ms Borley explained that the dog park strategy was made up of a number of components.

“It talks about a framework for decision making. So, where would we locate them? What site could they be? What are the requirements for different types of dog parks? So, we obviously don't want them all to be the same. It's basically a framework for decision making so that when we get outside (and hear) we'd like a dog park in our community, then there's some criteria with which to assess that, so there's consistency of approach that's been developed and we’ll obviously engage with the community in the future on that strategy.”

Cr Rooks continued, claiming it was only the “research component” that had been completed.

“I just wanted to reiterate that second part, which it says we've completed the ‘develop a dog park strategy 100%’ in the annual action plan. What's been developed, effectively, is the research component, which has been undertaken by the council officers and with other external consultants, I'm assuming, or experts. And so, we've got to a point now where it's ready to go out to the community and that consultation.”

But it was far from clear to Cr Rochelle Halstead, who said later councillors were only aware of the review of the Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP), not the dog strategy, let alone that it had been completed.

She followed Cr Rooks’ comments about the strategy, asking if the community would be consulted about all aspects of the strategy, including the processes leading up to its development.

Ms Borley said the dog park strategy document was developed as directed by councillors and following conversations with councillors, but its release and consultation was being held over during the election period.

However, while the quarterly report and annual report reveal the dog park strategy was completed by the end of June 2024, the election period runs from September 17 to October 26, time enough to release the report ahead of the election.

Cr Halstead also sought clarification about Cr Rooks’ claim that consultants or outside experts had been engaged.

“It was done by council officers, but in consultation with a number of other councils that have already implemented similar strategies. So, we looked at what others have done, what's working, what's not working, and we've built that into our process, and also consistent to similar locations as Bass Coast,” said Ms Borley.

Cr Halstead said there was huge interest in having these spaces in the community.

“There are a lot of these spaces right around the state and I’m hoping that this strategy is not going to restrain the ability of council to actually introduce these spaces,” she said, stressing that the community be allowed to have input into the foundations of the strategy, not simply have the opportunity to comment on it.

News that the dog park strategy has been listed as 100% completed has both disappointed and confused representatives of the Phillip Island Bass Coast Dog Owners Association.

“We circulated the candidates, as I’m sure plenty of other groups did, to ask them about their attitude to the establishment of more dog parks, extending beach hours and other things we’d like to see,” said Cheryl Owens, president of the shire’s largest dog owners’ group.

“When we got a response from Cr Rooks, noting that council had started its dog strategy, we contacted the shire, two weeks ago to find out what was going on.

“They told us that it was only a plan to talk about how to move forward with the dog park strategy, not that they’d actually completed it.

“We certainly haven’t been consulted.”

Mrs Owens said she understood the pushback from some people about overcrowding at the Ventnor Dog Beach when there were few other options at certain times of the year.

More options, both on the beach and inland, are urgently needed, she said.

“We’d like to see a change at Cape Woolamai, between the Grollo Estate and the bridge, restricting dogs only between December 15 and the end of January, not through to the end of April when hardly anyone is around.”

The group has its own wish list for additional places to walk their dogs safely, including the development of a new dog park at the Hilton Chadwick Reserve.

After circulating a questionnaire to all councillors, the Bass Coast Phillip Island Dog Owners Association produced ‘how to vote’ card for its supporters including the following suggestions for Island ward voters (in ballot paper order): Ron Bauer 1, Darrell Silva 2, Marnie Chadwick 3, Tracey Bell 5, David Rooks 7, John Trigt 4, Tim O’Brien 6.

At Bunurong they’ve suggested dog owners vote as follows: Caitlyn Robertson 7, Brett Tessari 2, Meg Edwards 3, Pru Scholtes 5, Brian Robinson 1, Eddie Halaijian 6, Mat Morgan 8, Leticia Laing 9, Les Larke 4.

In Western Port ward, dog owners are urged to vote: John Temby 6, Rochelle Halstead 1, Glenda Minty 5, Brian O’Farrell 4, Nikole Schellekens 2, Jan Thompson 3.