Why this man is facing court for feeding birds
A Melbourne man is facing a court hearing and a $1000 fine, all because he enjoys feeding birds in his front yard.
Highett man Brad Martell has been doing it for 20 years, but new neighbours have complained to the local council, saying he’s making a mess.
“I’ve formed a bit of an attachment with them over the years,” Mr Martell said of his avian friends.
“We’ve had ducks, tawny frogmouths, kookaburras.”
He said his bird-feeding had never been a problem until new neighbours moved in a year ago and began complaining about bird droppings on their roof.
He was initially fined $200 by his local council, but the fine was withdrawn and he thought that was the end of it, until he received a court notice from Bayside City Council.
The notice states that “feeding the birds interfered with the enjoyment by any other person of his or her land.”
“I feel sorry for the birds, they’re just hungry and I’m just trying to feed them,” Mr Martell said.
He added that feeding birds was “part of Australian culture.”
“I think it’s outrageous, it’s the bird’s airspace and my property,” he said.
Bayside City Council says it never wanted the issue to end up in court, but has no other option.
Mr Martell said he would fight the charges, and as a retiree added that he had plenty of time to do so.
“Taking someone to court is a last approach we take, it’s the last thing we do,” Bayside City Council’s Hamish Reid said.
“But when it impacts neighbours and wildlife, we do need to get involved.”
