Legislative Council, Wednesday 22 March, 2023

Ms FORREST (Murchison) - I did dash up the stairs after some doing some committee work in the office. Please excuse my shortness of breath.

Mr President, as I foreshadowed in question time, there are some matters I would like to raise in response to a couple of answers I received to questions, and I will pose a further question. I do not have in front of me the copies of the answers that were provided, but I was listening carefully.

With regard to the question about noise monitoring in and around Burnie port, as I understand from the Leader's response, she said the last monitoring was done in 2021. It is now 2023, in case anyone has not noticed that.

I am aware of a number of people who have made significant inquiries and requests of TasPorts with regard to noise, particularly related to the new Toll vessel that docks overnight and keeps it motor running. Even though they use shore power at times, there is still an enormous issue of noise, particularly when there is easterly weather. The monitoring stations do not cover this particular area that I am referring to under the hill around Princes Street, Olive Street, those areas.

It is not the decibels, as such, that are a matter of concern. It is the hertz, the frequency. If members have been involved in the finfish inquiry, that report about the noise and the way it rattles your windows; it is not the decibels, it is the frequency of the noise. My constituents have made a number of representations, and I understand they were of the belief that there was monitoring going on. They have been making these complaints for some time now. The last lot of monitoring was in 2021. Does TasPorts just ignore them?

Mrs Hiscutt - As I recall, the answer was that they are done every five years; is that the one?

Ms FORREST - Yes, five years; but when you get a complaint and you have people who are selling their properties and moving away because it is harming their health and wellbeing. When you have people who do not want to sell their house - they have gone to extraordinary lengths to try to soundproof the houses - but the frequency keeps going through their buildings. Some of them have to leave their homes at these particular times when the ship is in overnight and they are trying to sleep, when there is easterly weather or it is very still. A westerly it blows it out to sea - or over to your electorate. However, on an easterly or a still night, the hertz measurement - one of my constituents is a sound engineer. They understand this stuff and they understand the negative health and wellbeing impacts you could have.

I urge the Government to go back and look at this, and ask TasPorts have they had any complaints about this? What are they doing about it? Where are they monitoring? Why are they not monitoring now when they have had complaints? Let us ensure that the monitoring is done in easterly and still weather, when the ship is in port -not just one day when it is westerly because these people are suffering, and it is not okay.