By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
CASEY residents have a lot to argue about – more than most of the state.
Statistics recently released from the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria (DSCV) have revealed the City of Casey made the second highest number of calls for help in Victoria over the past year.
Close to 900 calls to assist Casey residents in settling disputes were made to the DSCV in 2014/15, which is more than 78 other local government areas in Victoria.
Greater Geelong City topped the list with 914 angry callers but Casey wasn’t far behind with 898 calls made.
Neighbouring Cardinia Shire was much further down the list making just a quarter of Casey’s number at 230 calls for help.
However just 50 Casey calls were referred for further advice and mediation with 303 Geelong residents taking their matters further.
The free and confidential dispute resolution service deals with disagreements over fences, trees, animals, noise, drainage, difficult or anti-social behaviour, workplace issues, committees, clubs or incorporated associations, and matters referred to mediation by a magistrate.
And the high number of rows in Casey has prompted the DSCV to release a message urging residents to “keep cool” this summer.
DSCV director Gina Ralston said the festive season was often a busy period for the service with issues stemming from parties and family gatherings.
“People often make the most of the warmer weather to use outside spaces to celebrate the festive season with family and friends. This can result in greater contact with neighbours, families and friends,” Ms Ralston said.
“These are usually celebratory social occasions but can sometimes exacerbate existing tensions with neighbours around issues such as noise, behaviour and fencing disputes,” she said.
Nearly 20,000 people seek help each year from DSCV to resolve disputes early.
Of those, more than 7000 calls in 2014/15 were for fencing disputes, 5566 for behavioural issues and 536 for noise-related matters.
Ms Ralston said many disputes could be resolved through communication and negotiation, which saved time, money and stress for individuals and families.
“Doing something as simple and courteous as leaving a note in a neighbour’s letter box to let them know that you’re planning to host a gathering can avoid disagreements down the track,” she said.
“We always encourage people to try and resolve their disputes among themselves where possible. But if that can’t be achieved, DSCV can assist and provide an alternative to court action,” Ms Ralston said.
Anyone seeking to resolve a dispute can find further information on the DSCV website www.disputes.vic.gov.au
