8 December 2010

Summernats hissy fit over noise regulation

8 December 2010 | johnboy

The Canberra Times reports that Summernats co-owner Andy Lopez is going the ACT Environment Protection Authority over their daring to enforce noise restrictions on his event:

Mr Lopez stopped short of accusing the Government agency of discriminating against his event, but claimed the authority held Summernats to an unusually high standard and refused to meet organisers.

”It feels like they’re trying to catch us out,” Mr Lopez said.

Summernats 2010 attracted thousands of dollars in fines for breaching noise restriction laws.

”We’re held to a 55 decibel standard, while a lot of music gigs can go up to 65 … It’s a hostile regulatory environment,” Mr Lopez said.

Perhaps due to being new to the game, Mr Lopez failed to threaten to move the event out of the ACT.

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vg9:47 am 29 Dec 10

“just a reminder that the ‘drunken hoons’ racing around our street and doing burnouts are probably 99% locals. If any of you decided to attend Summernats you would find that the majority of the entrants camp on the grounds and stay on the grounds. But then again you would probably be the ones going to Floriade – now how much does Stanhope and us tax payers pay for that?????”

Remember entrants are in the minority of Boganfest attendees

And how much dies Floriade return to the ACT in decent tourism $ as opposed to what ends up in a couple of nightclubs, Dickson Maccas and Sinsations from Boganfest?

P*ss this archaic 80s remnant of a ‘festival’ off. If I want to see VN Commodores I can go to any set of guvvy flats in Canberra

Postalgeek9:25 am 29 Dec 10

Sounds like the Outdoor Recreation Party ( a party for those people who think sitting inside a vehicle is outdoor recreation) needs to raise its profile in Canberra.

NapalmEnema9:21 pm 28 Dec 10

Haven’t been to German Auto Fest but I can give Auto Italia a massive thumbs up – a fantastic event.
Summernats is mainly for morons.

Showgirl4:02 pm 28 Dec 10

just a reminder that the ‘drunken hoons’ racing around our street and doing burnouts are probably 99% locals. If any of you decided to attend Summernats you would find that the majority of the entrants camp on the grounds and stay on the grounds. But then again you would probably be the ones going to Floriade – now how much does Stanhope and us tax payers pay for that?????

Vix6:55 pm 12 Dec 10

lobster said :

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/summernats-organiser-speaks-out-over-hostile-noise-regulations/2019535.aspx

The rest of the article goes on to say that they were weren’t fined for the noise of the actual event. Just the noise of the concerts held at night time.

They were fined for the amplified music.

If this is the case – then it is definately unfair.

If I read the article correctly, it wasn’t the amplified music but the fact that they didn’t turn the volume down having been asked to do so…

Jethro9:51 pm 08 Dec 10

I don’t think the noise from the event itself is the problem.

It’s the sudden influx of drunken hoons who decide to street race and do burnouts on suburban streets at 2am.

At this time of year I’m always glad I have moved away from the inner South, since I will be able to spend Summernats week with my windows open without fear of thick clouds of burning rubber floating through them as the result of some clown with a big car and a small d*** showing his mates how awesome his skills are at using an accelerator, clutch and handbrake.

spinact7:35 pm 08 Dec 10

Antagonist said :

Antagonist said :

Antagonist said :

I would not be disappointed to see Summernats come to an abrupt end, but it has been 15 years since we had a drag strip at the airport. As a proud (Kambah) bogan, I would be perfectly happy to see Summernats ditched and the associated funding redirected to building a new drag racing facility. We are still waiting, Mr Stanhope.

Man, what is it with wanting a drag strip. A drag strip won’t happen in this town for the same reason the Government wants to enforce noise restrictions on Summernats. AND for the same reason the gas fired powerplant location moved, tralee speedway closed (insert more other examples. People will whinge and bitch about not wanting it in their backyard or where they may be able to hear it. The Government haven’t come up with a location for a new drag stip because they know someone will end up complaining about it.

lobster7:20 pm 08 Dec 10

The truffle festival would take up most of that money I’m guessing.

Antagonist7:06 pm 08 Dec 10

Summernats shares $300,000 in funding with all of these other events;

*SNIP*

Wouldn’t buy you much of a drag strip.

$23,000 per year times 15 years works out to around $350,000. Not to mention the old dragway was generating revenue. We used to have the old bogan crowd gathering out at the airport to make all the noise they liked – much to the annoyance of the cry-baby Jerra residents. Surely the remote possibility of a plane crashing on top of the drag strip removing all the alpha-bogans from the gene pool warrants a dragway on its own ???

I’m sure it would have a flow-on effect too. There were a lot less black tyre marks on suburban roads, particularly around known bogan hot-spots (Kambah, Charnie, Queanbeyan etc). Many of the regular dragway bogans also had CAMS licences – meaning a serious traffic infringement could result in your racing licence being cancelled.

*END BOGAN SOAPBOXING*

Fining Summernats organisers for the concert (strippers) is pretty lame.

amarooresident35:14 pm 08 Dec 10

Antagonist said :

I would not be disappointed to see Summernats come to an abrupt end, but it has been 15 years since we had a drag strip at the airport. As a proud (Kambah) bogan, I would be perfectly happy to see Summernats ditched and the associated funding redirected to building a new drag racing facility. We are still waiting, Mr Stanhope.

So why won’t ACT EPA meet with the organisers?

Summernats shares $300,000 in funding with all of these other events;
– Kanga Cup International Youth Football Tournament
– Foreshore Summer Music Festival
– 2011 Australian Open Squash Championships
– Capital Country Truffle Festival
– Canberra Half Ironman Triathlon
– 2011 Australian Dragon Boat Racing Championships
– 2011 Eastern University Games
– FFA Futsal National Championships
– Canberra Sports Festival
– Rocky Trail Stromlo MTB Crown
– June Long Weekend Regional Girls Hockey Carnival
– Capital Punishment MTB Enduro
– Groovin’ the Moo Music Festival

Wouldn’t buy you much of a drag strip.

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