In 2011 Council adopted 9 new By-laws that excluded certain content due to a Court decision. Consequently these new By-Laws were not able to contain many issues that were previously covered such as placing flyers on vehicles etc.
In 2013 the High Court of Australia handed down its decision which found in Council’s favour. This allowed Council to reinstate certain contents of the By-laws that were excluded.
To reinstate the excluded content Council then introduced a new By-law (By-law 12). This also provided an opportunity for Council to assess the By-laws and make general updates. Before Council can adopt new or amend its By-laws, there's a requirement to consult with the community.
At the conclusion of the consultation, there were a number of key themes that were raised by the community. With this in mind, Council made further amendments to address community concerns such as,
Bikes - Unfortunately from time to time a bicycle might be left in a place where it inappropriate and impacts on safety. It is not Council’s intention to “ban” this activity but to have the ability to take action if this happens. Where there is no chance of danger or damage, we would have no concerns. To correct some misunderstandings in some media coverage, bikes can be tethered anywhere as long as they don’t block access or cause inconvenience or damage
Birds - Feeding birds is already an offence in squares and pedestrian malls. The proposed inclusion in the Roads By-Law is to confirm consistency with other By-Laws so as not to bring pests such as pigeons (which cause significant cleansing and health concerns) to an area.
Street Games - For example, if some people were out playing cricket in the street and not damaging property or causing a disturbance to the public, then we have no issue. However if they were causing a disturbance and damage, or if someone was kicking a soccer ball around in a high traffic area like Rundle Mall then it would need to stop. The proposed changes give us the ability to do this. The changes being recommended around this sort of activity are consistent with what already exists for Park Land bylaws.
For project further information:Consultation has concluded
