Mornington Peninsula Shire cares about protecting our community and our precious environment. Where there are serious and dangerous breaches of our local laws, we will take action.
At Dromana Magistrates' Court on 5 September 2024, a man was found guilty of multiple waste dumping offences, fined $5,000 and ordered to pay more than $8,000 in clean-up costs, after dumping fencing materials at a Hastings reserve.
At Frankston Magistrates' Court the following day, a woman was fined $5,000 after her dog attacked and seriously injured two women at Hastings in September 2023. Police helped our Community Safety Officers secure the dog, which was impounded while we investigated the incident.
The magistrate found the incident to be at the serious end of offending and expressed concern about the ongoing safety of the community. As a result, the magistrate ordered the dog to be destroyed.
Quotes attributable to Tanya Scicluna, Director of Community Strengthening:
"We take seriously our role of protecting our community. The illegal dumping of waste costs our ratepayers thousands of dollars each year to deal with, as well as spoiling the environment and amenity of our open spaces.
"The dumping of waste by commercial business operators is particularly abhorrent as they charge a fee and claim to be disposing of the waste correctly at the Shire's waste disposal centres.
"I urge anyone who witnesses or becomes aware of the unlawful dumping of waste to report it to us. It will be investigated by our Litter Prevention Investigation Team and may result in the dumper being fined or prosecuted.
"While dogs can bring much joy into people's lives, dangerous dogs are a menace to both humans and other animals and need to be strictly controlled.
"Dog owners have a responsibility to ensure their pet is always under effective control. Irresponsible dog owners who risk seriously injuring a child, adult or somebody else's much-loved pet will be prosecuted."
