Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (7 May) . . Page.. 1093 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

The Greens seem to suggest that the barriers are supposed to suppress all noise from motor sport activities. In fact, Mr Speaker, they are only one of a number of possible strategies to be used to minimise the effects of motor sport noise on nearby residences. But I think they should be a very effective strategy. Ms Horodny mentioned one person who had done a consultancy in relation to this. The Department of the Environment, Land and Planning engaged another acoustics expert, a Mr Louis Challis, who carried out an assessment of the site over a number of weeks, I understand. He suggested that properly designed barriers would decrease the noise effects on nearby residences by as much as five decibels. Incidentally, that gentleman is a world renowned expert and certainly a person accepted by Australian courts as an expert in terms of sound, sound control and noise. The barriers would work by absorbing some of the noise close to its source. I do not think anyone is suggesting - certainly, we are not - that they would completely block out all noise. Mr Speaker, there are other strategies as well which could be used by the motor sports themselves. They include improvements in event management, some modifications to exhausts - those things occur anyway in motor sport - and track alignments and modifications.

Ms Horodny, there certainly has been no formal proposal to construct any additional tracks at Fairbairn Park. Certainly, a number of people have mentioned improvements. Over the years, I think a few people have mentioned additional facilities there, but there is certainly no formal proposal in relation to an additional track at Fairbairn Park. Also in relation to that, Ms Horodny, you might note that there are some eight or so tracks all-up at the complex. I understand there are five main ones used by five main codes of motor sport. The current speedway track is not, in fact, being used. I am not aware of the lease situation in relation to Fraser Park at Jerrabomberra, but I have been told that there are no complaints from Jerrabomberra Park residents in relation to noise there. That does not appear to be a problem. I really do not know what the lease arrangements are and could not comment on them.

Also, in relation to persons at the Ridgeway, I am well aware of the Ridgeway Residents Action Group, having had a number of talks with it from 1990 onwards. I am certainly aware that there are three individuals in that group who obviously object to noise from Fairbairn Park still. I have also talked in the last two years to four people who live in the Ridgeway and who do not have any problem at all with it. I have been there on numerous occasions over the last two years to listen to many motor events at Fairbairn Park. The last time I was there with the Chief Minister. That was about the noisiest event when I have been there. I have been there on occasions when you can hear hardly anything at all. The Government also, of course, will be looking at the issue of the Commissioner for the Environment's report and what the level of noise emission from the facility should be; and certainly that is something on which there will be further work done shortly. In relation to experts and the sound barriers, Ms Horodny: I have mentioned Mr Challis and his report. I have the relevant page here. I quote the last paragraph on this page, which is highlighted:

If correctly located, such barriers would achieve at least a five decibel reduction. If correctly configured and located then they would readily achieve attenuations of 10 decibels. If the barriers were designed to provide both airborne sound attenuations, supplemented by absorptive facings, then they would be capable of achieving higher attenuations.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .