Shellharbour MP Anna Watson is making some noise about barriers along the Princes Motorway.
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She is unhappy the government funding a noise barrier along the Princes Motorway at Kiama while ignoring a similar need for a barrier along the same road at a Flinders housing estate.
But Kiama MP Gareth Ward said the Flinders noise barrier was the responsibility of the estate developers and Ms Watson had already had this explained to her.
Ms Watson said she had been pushing Roads Minister Duncan Gay for almost a year for a barrier on the same road in her electorate – only to be told it was the job for Shellharbour Council.
Why should the taxpayer be paying for something that is the developer’s responsibility?
- Gareth Ward
On Tuesday, Kiama MP Gareth Ward announced the government was building a 2.5-metre high barrier along the motorway, following complaints about noise from residents in Coryule Place.
Ms Watson said she had been trying to get a barrier built along the motorway 12 kilometres north at Flinders, after receiving a petition from residents in the area.
“This is the same road with the very same problem – increasing noise from the M1 Motorway and its impact on the lives of local residents,” Ms Watson said.
“One lot of affected residents seems to be treated very differently from another lot of residents along the very same stretch of road affected by the very same noise problem.”
Ms Watson suggested the fact that Kiama was a Liberal electorate while Flinders was in a Labor seat was the reason the project was funded.
However, Mr Ward said it wasn't politics but the fact that the developer of the estate was responsible.
“When the Flinders estate was approved in 2001, part of the development conditions of consent was that the developers were meant to provide noise abatement,” Mr Ward said.
”We have advised Anna Watson that if noise issues continue then this is a matter for the developers and the development conditions of consent.
“This is not a matter for RMS [Roads and Maritime Services], this is clearly a condition of consent set down in the Flinders estate subdivision from 2001.”
He said Ms Watson should be taking up the issue with Shellharbour City Council.
“Why should the taxpayer be paying for something that is the developer’s responsibility?”
