Council and police fail to act on offensive noise

I've complained many times about two neighbours' offensive noise from outdoor music coming into my home - both to police and Council.

Council has the authority under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 for noise control but the most they'll do is send a letter and rely on the recipients (and their youthful progeny) to do the right thing.

Police say they have insufficient resources and have "total discretion" to ignore complaints anyway - hilarious!

On several recent Friday and Saturday nights, neighbours up the back have been playing very loud music in their backyard which goes on late into the night.

Sometimes it starts about 9pm and the last time it began at 11pm.

The screaming and extremely loud thumping noise can be felt inside my home and makes it impossible to sleep.

It's like someone is burgling your home.

You don't want them there but there they are.

We're not allowed to drive above certain speed limits because it's against the law.

So why do these people believe they are entitled to keep on breaking the law regarding offensive noise?

Both offending neighbours have been advised by Council that "offensive noise" is defined in as being noise: "that, by reason of its level, nature, character or quality, or the time at which it is made or any other circumstances: (i) is harmful to (or is likely to be harmful to) a person who is outside the premises from which it is emitted, or (ii) interferes unreasonably with (or is likely to interfere unreasonably with) the comfort or repose of a person who is outside the premises from which it is emitted, or that is of a level, nature, character or quality prescribed by the regulations or that is made at a time, or in any other circumstances prescribed by the regulations".

On both counts above these people ignore the law and know full well that they are doing just that.

Email, 5 Aug 2018

Maggie Bartlett, Umina