Public views sought about Hillarys Horse Beach closure

THE public can comment on the closure of Hillarys Horse Beach until August 22.

Joondalup councillors at their June 28 meeting voted to amend its animal local law for the purpose of public advertising, which started the next day.

This is the next step in the City’s process to close the 160m beach on Whitfords Avenue.

In 2010, the council resolved to phase out the closure of the horse beach over four years and restrict access to Mondays to Saturdays from daybreak to noon, after which the area becomes a dog beach.

The closure will enable the horse float car park to be reconfigured to allow for more car bays for dog beach users.

In May, the council voted to close the beach permanently, which requires an amendment to its animal local law.

Cr Mike Norman said public consultation would give “the City’s residents, some of whom are dog owners who did not intend to see horse owners disadvantaged, the opportunity to have an official say on the issue”.

Mayor Troy Pickard also took the opportunity to respond to “rhetoric being thrown around by some State Members of Parliament that they’ll stop this at State Parliament”.

“That is absolute rubbish and misleading,” he said.

“There is a due process that we have to go through as a City and at the conclusion of that process it goes to a committee of Parliament called the Delegated Legislative Committee.

“They can refuse the local law on two grounds: Firstly, that we haven’t followed due process or secondly, that it’s ultra vires, that we’re acting beyond our powers.”

Supporters to retain Hillarys Horse Beach filled the council chamber, with many making public statements objecting to the proposed closure.