On 19 August 2025, Pittwater Unleashed supporter Warren Bingham spoke to Northern Beaches Council in support of adopting the Mona Vale Beach (South) Plan of Management and approving the proposed off-leash dog trial.

Drawing on his experience as a dog training instructor and therapy dog volunteer, Warren presented the facts clearly — showing strong community support, negligible environmental risk, and minimal cost — and urged Council to say yes to a fair, evidence-based decision that reflects the community’s voice.

Read Warren’s full speech below.

Good evening, Councillors.

My name is Warren Bingham. I live in Bayview, I’m a dog training instructor with the Manly & District Kennel Club, and a volunteer with Delta Therapy Dogs alongside my wife, Julie, and our Labrador Billie. I train community dogs to be good “dog citizens” so we can all live more harmoniously together.

I’ll address what the majority of the Plan of Management is about — the proposed off-leash dog trial on Mona Vale Beach (South). This isn’t a complicated decision. Strip away the noise, and the only real reasons to say no would be:

• If … there’s little or no public support.
• If … the negative impacts clearly outweigh the positives.
• If … the costs are unaffordable.

So let’s look at the facts.

1. Public Support

This began 22 years ago when Careel Bay was closed to dog swimming, with a promise to find alternatives. Since then, support has outweighed opposition by about 9 to 1.

The Plan of Management confirmed it again: most comments were about the trial, and 66% weren’t just supportive, but strongly supportive. And every “yes” usually represents a family, not just an individual. That’s not a slim margin — that’s overwhelming.

2. Impact

Council’s own environmental experts chose this site because there are no significant risks. Nothing lives on this small strip of beach to be impacted. And the whole point of the trial is to confirm impacts. Without it, objections about danger or harm are speculation, not reality.

For those who’ve publicly stated they’ll vote in line with environmental reports when it comes to dog beaches, the facts are clear. Your “yes” vote tonight will protect the environment, because it’s in line with your own expert reports, and delivers the overwhelming will of the community, too.

3. Cost

Plans of Management are core Council business under the Local Government Act. This one’s ready to go, has legal standing, and the extras — signage, bins, ranger patrols — are minimal and already part of normal operations. The Plan of Management is recommended for adoption. All you have to do is your part.
Knowing these facts, those who vote no tonight are not acting in line with the will of the community they serve.

Other areas get this right, like the extensive dog-friendly beaches on the Central Coast. Other countries get this right — we’ve just returned from Italy, where dogs are welcome in UNESCO World Heritage parks like Tré Cime. They start with “yes” and work backwards, if needed. Here, we appear to start with “never”, wasting time, money, and goodwill. But tonight, you have the chance to change that.

So let’s call it:

• Public support is clear.
• Environmental risks are negligible.
• Costs are minimal.

Now is the time to approve the Plan of Management and Off-Leash Dog Trial at Mona Vale Beach (South) — and honour the overwhelming will of the community. Tonight, you choose: be remembered as the council who still said never, or the one who finally said yes. The community will remember. Make it yes.