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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 12 Hansard (12 November) . . Page.. 4013 ..

Mr Moore: What rubbish! They will have to put on mufflers.

MR HUMPHRIES: I am not an expert in noise in that respect. Maybe Mr Moore has the magic solution to the problem. Let me say that we have received advice, and we accept the advice, that it is not possible for motor sports to comply with the provisions unless an exemption at 10 decibels above background noise is provided. We do not wish to see an end to motor sport in the ACT. We believe it is an activity which many Canberrans enjoy, and they are entitled to continue to enjoy it without having to leave the ACT to do so. As such, we will be putting before the Assembly in the regulations made under the environment protection legislation the argument that that sport ought to be allowed to continue with that provision.

MR MOORE: I have a supplementary question. When it all boils down, is it not really another case of this Government discriminating against the residents of Queanbeyan? At the same time as you make noise and mouth platitudes about regional approaches, you discriminate against people of Queanbeyan with your lack of concern, first of all, over aircraft noise and, now, over motor sport noise.

MR SPEAKER: I am not sure that Queanbeyan is part of your responsibilities, Mr Humphries, but never mind.

MR HUMPHRIES: No, indeed. Mr Speaker, the Government has had extensive discussions with the Queanbeyan City Council, with the residents of the Ridgeway, with the New South Wales Department of the Environment and with other people who have been concerned about this area, such as the Conservation Council.

Mr Moore: What did the Queanbeyan Council say?

MR HUMPHRIES: I do not have the details with me at the moment and I did not personally conduct the negotiations; so I cannot give you any information about that. Let me say that I think it is clear that in any decision of this kind there is a trade-off between the capacity of people to be able to protect their amenity and the capacity of others to conduct a legitimate recreational activity. We do not propose that no regard be had to the amenity of New South Wales residents. If we did, we would not place any limit on the amount of noise that can be generated by motor sport at Fairbairn Park. We are doing that. We are setting the level at, you say, 45 decibels. I am not sure whether that is the right figure; but, whatever it is, we are setting that level at the Ridgeway.

Mr Moore: Ten above background.

MR HUMPHRIES: It is 10 above background, which works out to be either 40 or 45 at the Ridgeway. I forget which it is now. But, whichever it is, we have attempted to strike a balance in these matters. We have put it to the Assembly that it is appropriate to have that balance. The alternative, unfortunately, is the black-and-white view of the world which says, "Motor sport can just drop off the end of the trailer. We do not care about motor sport". We will continue on and we will take this particular interest into account. Governments have to balance these considerations, and we have attempted to balance them with this decision.

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