[Merrick N Sniper]

Here is a quote from The Brass Verdict (a Lincoln Lawyer novel) by Michael Connolly:

“Everybody lies. Cops lie. Lawyers lie. Witnesses lie. The victims lie. A trial is a contest of lies. And everybody in the courtroom knows this. The judge knows this. Even the jury knows this. They come into the building knowing they will be lied to. They take their seats in the box and agree to be lied to.”

It’s a fictional work of course. 

[Merrick N Sniper]

Wow that’s magnificent information thanks JimmyT and thanks again Whale.

One wonders, though, why there’s so much contradictory and hard-to-fathom information surrounding the simple issue of when building / renovation / construction noise is allowed. Surely it should be cut-and-dried, easy to find, if not well-publicised and known by all. Even more so in relation to strata dwellings, considering more and more people are living in them.

I am stunned, personally, that my local council doesn’t even have building noise on their list of potential noise pollution sources. It is briefly mentioned in a lead-up paragraph but then not specifically addressed.

[Merrick N Sniper]

Thank you so much, Whale.

Hard to believe but our local council’s web site refers to most types of noise one would expect (such as tools and barking dogs, pool filters, air con) but does not specifically mention building or renovation noise. It does mention power tools but a hammer an chisel is not one of them. I will the council, of course, and sort out exactly what the situation is.

Meanwhile, I have spent a few minutes googling Protection of the Environment Operations Act and found stuff, but nowhere can I find the specific hours you mention, mentioned. I would be most grateful if you could tell me exactly where to look or do a cut’n’paste or something.

[Merrick N Sniper]

This is a great topic.

I, too, of course, think fire safety is very important. However our strata recently was made to spend thousands on ‘fire safety compliance’. I suspected we didn’t need ALL the work to be done and we might have been a victim of ‘gold plating’, if you are familiar with the expression. Our Strata Manager has a ‘fire safety compliance manager’ these days and I hypothesise they get more than bottles of scotch and a turkey or three from fire safety contractors at Christmas.

Am I being cynical?

Our strata building was built in the early 60s and registered in 1966. Going by what Whale says: “… prior (to 1988) developments such as your Strata Plan are exempt due to the amended legislation being non-retrospective provided no significant additions/alterations to the building have since been undertaken…” it seems we are exempt from having to comply with today’s legislation. 

We definitely don’t have ‘money to burn’. What do you reckon?

[Merrick N Sniper]

Thanks for replies. The thing about ‘EC’ meetings here is there aren’t many of them, evidence of about one a year and as I said, sweet —-all in the agendas and minutes. But I hear you. More softly, softly for a while; I’ll try and be patient for six months until the AGM.

PeterC, out of curiousity, how different is the ACT equivalent of the NSW Strata Titles Act?

Thanks again!

[Author]

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