Nanny State Goes Ballistic: $100 fine if you fly a kite or dig a hole on beach.

Welcome to council-control-freak insanity in WA – the ruling class who think there is no cost to adding more rules and regulations, assume they can replace common sense with guidelines that dictate the size of the hole you can dig on a beach.

In Australia we’re passionate about our beaches and equally so about them belonging to all Australians. But one of the most popular beaches in Perth could be hit with council rules that stop you flying a kite, digging a hole, bringing a toy truck, or meeting with 11 friends. Good intentions run amok.

Under a proposal to be considered by the Town of Cottesloe by the end of the month, an extra 60 clauses will be added to the council’s beach law – bringing to more than 100 the number of activities and actions prohibited at the popular beach. The council says the changes reflect emerging issues since the local law was last reviewed in 1999 and will give rangers more control over what happens at the beach. The draft rules will ban alcohol and glass bottles and containers, make it illegal to drop cigarette butts or disobey orders from lifeguards, as well as provide tighter controls on fishing and the use of watercraft. A ban on sun shelters and umbrellas bigger than 3sqm, toy vehicles and flying kites will join the existing ban on model aeroplanes. Digging “hazardous” big holes, obstructing steps and pathways and wasting water by leaving taps running will be prohibited – as will diving off the Cottesloe pylon or groyne Prior written consent will also be needed for activities such as commercial filming or photography, public meetings of more than 10 people and fundraising, reflecting what the council says is an increase in commercial and event usage.

I’m sure for each of these rules there are stories of people being inconvenienced by inconsiderate beachgoers, but putting good manners into regulations doesn’t work. The council can’t enforce these rules 7 days a week without a major cost, both in money and goodwill, so the rules just become another chance for selective enforcement. There are already laws against anti-social behaviour.

The story comes from The West Australian. Their polling shows 85% of web readers think the council has gone too far. Do pop over to The West’s site, and please mention the Thompsons (a link to their plight would help). Sure, beach rules are interesting, but where is their coverage of tyrannical government behaviour that affects our states reputation as a place to invest and threatens to ruin a family farm? What are their priorities?

Do they think WA readers need to know about flying kites on beaches but not about businesses being destroyed?

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Commenter, The Infidel:

If you got 10000 rules and regulations, respect for the law will disappear. Winston Churchill

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