Parliamentary Speeches
OCEAN SHORES PACIFIC HIGHWAY UPGRADE SOUND WALL ( 26/10/2006)
Mr DONALD PAGE (Ballina—Deputy Leader of The Nationals) [5.14 p.m.]: I bring to the attention of the House the unsatisfactory treatment by this Government through the Roads and Traffic Authority [RTA] of two families who reside in the northern part of the Ballina electorate, the families of Rod Tyson and Mark Bateson. Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson live next to each other in Ocean Shores and are currently enduring the personal impact of the construction of the Brunswick to Yelgun section of the Pacific Highway upgrade. The homes of both Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson are next to the new highway, yet their properties are the only two within the vicinity of the highway not to be sheltered by a sound wall. I am advised that despite countless pleas to the RTA over a 16-month period, Mr Tyson, Mr Bateson and their families are still no closer to having a sound wall erected to protect their homes from the continual noise and pollution from the highway construction and beyond.
Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson have both contacted my office several times to convey their concerns about the lack of a sound wall protecting their homes and I have personally visited their properties to witness first hand the high level of noise with which they live. Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson have advised me they were informed by the RTA that approximately 30 metres of bushland would remain between their properties and the new highway. This strip of vegetation would continue to act as a buffer to dilute the considerable noise and pollution emanating from the highway construction. However, I observed that the strip of bushland in fact has been cleared. They say noise levels have increased four-fold since the bushland strip was removed. Adding insult to injury, Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson tell me that at no stage did the RTA conduct a noise test on their properties. Noise tests were conducted elsewhere but not at Mr Tyson's and Mr Bateson's homes. This is despite the fact these two properties are the closest to the highway of all the affected properties.
Since construction of the Brunswick Heads to Yelgun section of the highway upgrade commenced, the Tyson and Bateson families have had to endure night work machinery, traffic noises, construction vibrations and dust, all resulting in lack of sleep and frustration. They tell me cracks are appearing in the structure of their homes due to the vibrations caused by the construction works and trucks, and layers of dust cover their homes. Mr Tyson's daughter is currently sitting the important Higher School Certificate exams, yet is having difficulty studying due to the noise from the highway construction. The existing highway is also being utilised in parts for through traffic. Due to the changing nature of the road, as different sections open and close, several sections of the road are uneven, causing further noise as highway traffic, including semitrailers, B-doubles and other trucks, literally thud over any bumps or uneven areas of road day and night.
Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson have been informed that the section of the new highway closest to their properties, once completed, will be used as the main highway until May or June next year. This will bring traffic 30 metres closer to their homes and the increased noise implications are obvious. Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson have advised me that the RTA owns most, if not all, of the properties from nearby Rajah Road to the south up to their properties in Weeronga Way. All the properties believed to be owned by the RTA have sound walls erected in front of them, presumably to enable them to be rented out and to help protect their property values. Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson have for some time fought to have a sound wall erected in front of their properties, which would just involve the extension of the existing sound wall. After 14 months of requests for a sound wall, they met with representatives from the RTA and construction company ABI Group. Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson have told me it was agreed that noise level tests would be done at both properties six months after the highway construction was completed. But by this time, the Tysons and the Batesons will have endured the noise, dust and lack of sleep caused by the highway upgrade for more than two years.
I have made several representations to the Minister for Roads on behalf of Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson on this issue. To date no responses beyond acknowledgements have been received. Sixteen months after their initial request for a sound wall, Mr Tyson and Mr Bateson are still waiting, their lives and their family's lives continually disrupted by the highway construction and attendant noise, dust and pollution. I call on the Minister for Roads to intervene and rectify this situation by having a sound wall constructed to protect the Tyson and Bateson families from noise during the highway construction and also after the highway construction is complete.
