Sydney Ports deaf to White Bay noise concerns

By Ashlee Betteridge
Balmain’s harbourside residents are
angry over a lack of action by Sydney
Ports to address noise concerns.
Complaints have fallen on deaf
ears and are shuffled from depart-
ment to department without being
resolved, residents said.
Christina Ritchie from the White
Bay Precinct Committee said Sydney
Ports listened, but did not act.
“They have set up a community
liaison group to show they are lis-
tening to these residents. Although East Balmain and White Bay Precinct Committee members have accused Sydney Ports of ignoring noise complaints.
[Sydney Ports] hear the concerns,
people feel that nothing then comes ples’ homes at White Bay is a dem- emergency response and com- listening. This is the case with mem-
of it and they are frustrated by that,” onstration of ignorance and arro- plaints line which residents around bers of the community who have ap-
Ms Ritchie said. gance,” Mr Stamolis said. the ports are aware of. Sydney Ports proached Sydney Ports asking us to
The situation had not improved “Their response to noise and pol- takes all complaints extremely se- take our operations elsewhere,” she
since the early 1990s, Cecilie Lewis lution complaints is poor. This role riously and has a robust process to said.
from East Balmain said. should be taken out of their hands investigate noise complaints,” Ms “As Glebe Island and White Bay
John Stamolis from the East and handed over to an independent Parashar said. are the last deep water berths serv-
Balmain Precinct Committee said authority,” he said. Ms Parashar said few noise com- icing the needs of the city, it is not
the community liaison group lacked Sydney Ports spokeswoman plaints had been received. possible for Sydney Ports to just ‘go
a focus on community concerns. Kamini Parashar said it was not true “Community members, when somewhere else’. We have a respon-
“[Sydney Ports] support for an that noise complaints are ignored. they do not get what they want, of- sibility to meet the trading needs of
industrial working port next to peo- “Sydney Ports has a 24 hour ten criticise the organisation for not the city and state.”

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Village Voice Balmain June 11