John.K. wrote:-
".......I might add,satellite surveillance of landowners seems to have become a lot more invasive recently,and anyone with a machine tells of council inspectors turning up the day after they shift a machine onto anywhere with trees."
Can second this, about 5-6 weeks ago, down the Otways (Vic.), a mate was having two small dams dug on his property, D7 and also an excavator to clean out two more on an adjoining block. Owner had collected all relevant paperwork, everything nice and legal, two old gums had to be removed.
Second day of work, council inspector arrives, mate down the paddock, inspector stops dozer operator, asks for permits, operator handballs it back to owner. Says NO MORE work until paperwork checked, no big deal, getting close to lunchtime anyway. Mate comes up from paddock an hour or so later, sees dozer parked, wanders over and is directed to "that turkey in the ute". Inspector asks for permits, owner says we'll have to go over the house, inspector tells operator to sit on bum until he sorts this out. Bottom line, all OK, can resume work, by this time it's mid-arvo. Point is, how did these blokes know not so much, where to turn up, but when? Seems they have satellite overlays of each and every property in the shire!
No longer rely on Google which probably only get updated every few years!
Area I live in, old disused quarry, not used for many years, owner decides to do a bit or "restoration" on big hole in ground i.e. fill it in.
Sure enough, either dobbed in or more likely picked up by some type of surveillance (and this is out the bush!), council wallah turns up, sticks nose in, "what's the go here?"
Told what is pretty obvious happening, "don't do anything more until I get the OK on this"
Was NOT allowed to continue because council hadn't received notification! Has to go through the system. Owner chucks wobbly, rings council and tells them that as far as he is concerned, the "bloody hole can fill up with water for all I care! Only trying to tidy the area up!"
Upshot of it? Council sends him a notice demanding restoration and must be at least started within 90 days!
So, how's that for a bit of a Catch-22??
But, THEY are out there! Bloke up the road from me, couple of years ago moved a carport off his mum's place before the joint was sold, old dear going into nursing home.
Throws it up at his own place, must have been going around updating the Google street views or whatever they call them, told to remove it and lodge a permit. Bloke gets a bit snarly, tells council wallah it stays where it is, will apply for permit when he gets time. Told in no uncertain terms that he will be served notice to have it removed, every day over he will be fined for.Probably a pretty fair call in this instance, bloke who moved carport should have known better.
Bottom line is that your house (and land) are no longer your own to do what you please with (and been that way for some time now), but you can't help wondering just how far this over-seeing (read surveillance) has gone, or is going.
Oh well, suppose it employs another dozen or so uni-educated galahs to enforce!
Dave
