Page 4179 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 29 November 1994
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Whilst this may be okay in commercial areas or on the open road, it is unreasonable that these things are happening in residential areas. Is the Minister aware that people have been fighting individual issues like this in residential areas in Canberra for some years, and could the Minister indicate what he sees as a solution to this problem so that it does not go on into 1995?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, Mr Stevenson has passed this question to me, as Planning Minister. It is correct that Mr Lamont has answered numbers of questions on this subject before. Broadly, Mr Stevenson asked two questions. He asked: Am I aware of it? Certainly, I am. I have been involved in particular cases over a number of years. Secondly, he asked: What is the solution? That is the part where it is a bit harder to find an answer. There is no absolute restriction on the ability of people to drive trucks into neighbourhoods. There have been a number of proposals over the years, as Mr Stevenson would perhaps be aware. One, for example, was to set aside parking areas for trucks, maybe at Mitchell, behind secure fences. That has not been well supported by the people involved. It was not proceeded with, I understand, on the ground that we have no ability to require them to park in those areas, and therefore it would not have been likely to be successful.
I have certainly been involved, as the Pollution Control Authority gets complaints about noise in the suburbs; but the noise, though highly distracting and something that should be avoided, is for a short time as trucks come and go, often at early hours of the morning. That is a particular worry; but it is not a consistent noise, such as to enable inspectors to take action. I think that Mr Stevenson would know from earlier answers from Mr Lamont that we are aware of the problem. We are looking at any option that is available. If Mr Stevenson can come up with a solution, we will give his proposal the closest examination. It is a difficult problem to deal with.
MR STEVENSON: I ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Has the Minister considered restricting the parking of commercial vehicles of a larger size in residential areas? Deliveries are a different matter.
MR WOOD: It is not particularly my responsibility. It is Mr Lamont's responsibility, as Minister in charge of transport. It certainly has been considered; but it has not been possible to have a practical application. Mr Stevenson is very strong in supporting individual enterprise. He must remember also the rights of small business people - owner-drivers and the like - and employees who simply drive these trucks. There is a whole range of other factors to be examined.
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