Thursday 29 May 2008

Kwinana Council is failing its duty of care

The good news is that the Kwinana Industrial Noise is bearable tonight the wind is obviously blowing in the right direction but read this and weep...
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Here is the update I promised from last night, but firstly a bit of background - For many years now we have been asking even demanding that the Kwinana Council and the State Government take action against Kwinana Industry that is breaking the law by exceeding the assigned noise regulations in the residential areas. It is sad when the DEC will not enforce its own laws, it is distressing when the Council will do nothing to protect its residents from those breaking the law. It seems because the law breakers are multinational corporate giants Kwinana council is more interest in protecting them or rather their almighty dollar, than it is in protecting its own community.

Last night I attended a Kwinana Council Meeting and once again questioned the council on noise issues, unfortunately as I was so unwell I struggled a bit, but got there in the end and asked the Council to investigate the noise problem and do something about it.

The Council reply was that yes it could get someone to go out and do some monitoring (whoopee), and went on to say words to the effect of - "but at the end of the day Kwinana Industry is exempt from the assigned noise regulations in residential areas".

Big problem is that is wrong... Kwinana council continue to make this claim publicly and yet we have clear evidence including advice from the DEC and answers to parliamentary questions that says "Kwinana Industry is not exempt from the noise regulations in residential areas - Kwinana Industry as a whole and as individual companies do need to comply with the assigned noise levels in residential areas". So why is the Kwinana Council claiming the opposite?

Could it be because our Council is in an all too cosy relationship with industry?

The DEC is not doing its job and Kwinana Council is failing its duty of care to its residents and ratepayers, but trust me it won't continue for another 10 years.

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