John Hargreaves quits cabinet after drink driving charge

It is to operate on weekends only, with some 3 day events. It will be louder than the airport for the entire time it is operating. It will be 80 Decibells in Hackett (enough to drown out conversation). That is only the ‘average’ of the noise. There will be much louder noise spikes as races start etc. These will be enough to wake shiftworkers/babies in their beds. this is in the suburbs. Residents in the actual Majura Valley are being offered hotel accomodation during Dragway events as their houses will be unlivable due to noise! (who will meet this ongoing cost?) This information is all in the EPA report available on the act govt website. However since the report was done, the govt has stated they cannot afford to dig the dragway 5 metres into the ground, as a noise abatement measure, so noise levels will be much much worse. This is why affected residents are very upset. If you want to argue various points about decibels, whether it will be worse than the airport etc, please have a look at the report first. This info is all directly from the govt report.

Seepi I’ve never heard of a dragway operating 12 hours a day every day…how about a few minute bursts a few times a week, fortnight or even a month.

If the initial funding from the govt is enough and Stanhope thinks its a sound idea (I don’t think the public would though) to throw some coin to the petrolheads, let them run and fund it forever thereafter!

The question is how often would the noise be much louder than the airport? If it was everynight till 10 on the dot that would be an issue, if it was a couple of times a year, let them have their fun.

You’re right – the ‘mountain’ (hill) doesn’t stop the firing range noise, and the dragway noise will be much louder and go from 10AM to 10PM. The ‘mountain’ also has a great big saddle (hole) in the middle of it. The goverment’s own noise report predicts extensive noise disturbance. The ‘mountain’ has been known (and loved) up to now as the Mt Majura nature park. Once the dragway goes in the govt has retitled it: Dragway noise buffer zone. noice!

Hargreaves didn’t look like a drinking man to me!

Of course there’s a mountian in between them and the dragway, I guess we’ll see when it’s built. I know as a long time east Ainslie resident I never had a problem with aircraft noise and is the a ADF firing range around there somewhere because I’d often hear exposions as well, but again not so loud as to be annoying.

The whole of molonglo isn’t dragway affected, but the voters of Hackett, Ainslie, Majura Valley, Campbell, Watson, downer and dickson make a significant number – enough to keep Deb in I’d say. + the same area has lost their local college.

30 pieces of silver says he won’t be staying all that long – there’s just a hint of generational change going on it would seem at the moment..Ted’s out, so who’s the next likely suspect facing the broom?

More worrying, are the times he probably hasn’t been caught.

It means he just won’t be in Cabinet. He’s not resigning as MLA. Just giving up his ministerial post – until the court hearing – depending on the judgement he might be reinstated as minister.

So, explain to me guys. does this just mean he won’t be minister for something? I mean, they won’t get rid of him and include the next labor person who would have won in Brindabella will they?????

This is a major issue, so only answer if you KNOW, not if you are guessing.

Having been Dragway-affected in the past (only good thing to come out of privatising the airport was that it was closed down), I have no illusions about the rights of residents when some noisy lobby gets the gov’t to do something like that. Once it’s in, it’s a fait accompli and your “rights” are meaningless.

After such a harsh budget, necessitated by the ACT’s negative financial state, it seems amazing that they’d blow so much money on such a problematical facility.

I’d much rather see them focussing on wider things that affect the community.

seepi, I live in molongolo, but hardly consider myself Dragway affected, Apart from Pialigo I’m not sure where would be.

So you’ll continue to not vote for him… well that’s hardly a shock.

I do agree that we deserve more than just the “least bad” government, and sometimes the stanhope ogvernment provides that, but some of the things in this budget have raised questions for me.

I will change my (longstanding labor) vote. The dragway and many other planning issues are what has made my decision final. And the disappointment of Katy Gallagher turning out to be just like the rest of them – mouthing pr platitudes while screwing people over.
I’ll be voting Green, or some sort of independant. Greens will do well in dragway affected areas (Deb’s seat). Failing any independents I’ll do my first ever donkey vote and write F. Off with your Dragway on my paper.

Hey Thumper, is Dunny worried his uniform allowance is going to be slashed if the ESA is moved under Justice????

I’m just surprised Mary Porter’s staff haven’t already been on here saying how ‘deserving’ she is of a chance at a ministry.

Thumper

Despite all the kicking, screaming and whinging that is going on here, has the anyone from the other side said or done anything that may make you change your mind at election time?

Deb Foskey isn’t going to win her seat let alone control of parliament, the Liberals are hopeless, and the ALP (alcoholic lunch party?) again shoots itself in the foot.

The arboretum is almost dead as an idea, the dragway was sort of funded, schools will be closed but that happened 15-18 years ago and overall school facilities quality improved.

The clowns running the show are not great, but they are still miles ahead of the joke of an opposition.

Read: when he has plead guilty, has “offence proven, no conviction recorded, no penalty imposed” and has donated $600 to a victims of crime charity he gets his job back.

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Apparently he’s standing aside until it’s delt with… not really sure how to read that.

no doubt the mayor will add another portfolio to his list

Nah they’ll have to run another caucus ballot to fill the spot.

It just gets better and better for Sonic, doesn’t it!

what the fuck was he celebrating?

no doubt the mayor will add another portfolio
to his list

He’s quit cabinet, I doubt he’s retiring.

It could be a convenient distraction from a difficult to sell budget.

However, given the unpopularity of the budget and the government at present, is it possible that he too is jumping ship?

I doubt it, he so wanted to be a minister and considering his hard right politics I’d say he would have been pushing for even more cuts.

Well I think if he didn’t retire then the government would have copped a lot of flack after getting their high horse about the bill stephoniak issue…

Ha, it must have been after lunch.

That explains a lot.

Why am I not surprised. And the sad thing is that there is no one of any ability in Stanhope’s government to replace him. This governmnet is a bloody joke.

Now that’s taking responsibility.