Page 258 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 1990
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generally residents of Downer and Watson, whose residential amenity was most affected by the event. I live in Downer myself and I must admit that I was disturbed also about the event this year. Some of the impacts that the Summer Nats had in our area were things like racing cars in residential streets, dangerous driving; there was obviously camping in public areas, there was damage to private property; there was noise pollution; there was rubbish and litter throughout the area.
The complaints that have come to me about the matter address all of those sorts of issues, and quite rightly. I think it is unacceptable to the people of North Canberra that this should take place, and we are therefore voicing our concern about it. It does worry me greatly, though, Mr Speaker, that when one individual, a friend of mine, raised the matter through a letter to the editor, he and his wife were so abused that they were forced to install a private telephone number.
That is not to say that we are opposed to the holding of the Summer Nats in Canberra, and certainly we are not. We recognise that there are a great many benefits to Canberra in the staging of that event to the businesses in Canberra and also of course that people who participate in it enjoy it a great deal. It is a very very popular event and I wish those people well; I would like to see them continue to enjoy it. But personally I think there are a few bad apples who have got together during that event to try to spoil the whole event for the participants who do conduct themselves in a responsible way.
What I believe is required is an action plan that is designed to ensure that the event can be conducted in such a way that the participants do have an enjoyable event, but also that the distress that was caused to the residents in the most recent event is removed completely. I would therefore like to address a five-point action plan that I think would achieve that.
Firstly, and I believe fundamentally, all of the traffic laws of the ACT must be enforced. Drag racing must be taken out of suburban streets, and this can only be achieved, I believe, Mr Speaker, by increasing the police presence at the event and through all hours of the day and night. Secondly, camping should only be permitted in specifically designed and designated areas. It is absolutely unacceptable that camping is permitted on road verges and in suburban green spaces. There are simply no facilities there to support camping, and if temporary camping facilities are required they should be provided at Natex by the Summer Nats organisers.
Thirdly, I believe that Canberra laws with respect to noise pollution must be enforced. We have relatively new legislation in this area, which is quite strong and it should be enforced. You just cannot keep residents awake at all hours of the night with loud engine noises and so
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