Noise Off Charitable Trust - Political Party Policies

Noise In Politics

Labour Government policy.

The Minister of Transport safety, Harry Duynhoven, announced the Labour Government’s latest measures to combat excessive noise form motor vehicles on 19 July 2006, to read the press release click here.

NOISE OFF – CRITIQUE OF THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT POLICY

The Labour Government policy set out in the Press release is being implemented in two stages:

The first stage is to provide an objective noise test for in-service motor vehicles that are creating excessive noise. A motor vehicle will be in breach of the Transport Regulations 1976 if the noise being emitted from the exhaust exceeds 95dBA for a car and 100dBA for motor cycles.

This new objective test is essentially the on-road enforcement tool for the Police. It will not be applied at the Warrant of Fitness station unless the motor vehicle fails the current subjective hearing test applied by the testing person and the owner of the motor vehicle wishes to challenge that outcome.

However in the second stage the Government proposes to amend the Vehicle Equipment Rule which is enforced at the Warrant of Fitness testing stations by implementing an objective noise test with the dBA level of that test being set after public submissions.

Noise Off welcomes the Government’s proposals to implement an objective noise test at the Warrant of Fitness testing station and to review the maximum permitted level of noise.

Noise Off is of the opinion that the interim measure setting a 95dBA maximum noise level for in-service vehicles will have little if any effect on the overall problem currently being experienced with excessively noisy vehicles. However it will permit the testing stations to become experienced with the method of objective testing so that the testing regime can be rolled out across all of the Warrant of Fitness testing stations when the new Vehicle Equipment Rule comes into force.

Noise Off is of the opinion that to make any difference then the proposed maximum noise level to apply at the Warrant of Fitness station must be no greater than 90dBA which is the level that has applied in Australia since 1983.

National policy.

National’s policy is contained within a Member’s Bill that National Party MP Nicky Wagner has placed in the ballot.

Mrs Wagner’s Bill provides for:

All vehicles to be fitted with an exhaust system that reduces the noise from the vehicles exhaust effectively and in no event is the noise to exceed 90dBA. The Objective level will not apply to vehicles manufactured before 1977.

NOISE OFF – CRITIQUE OF THE NATIONAL POLICY

Noise Off is of the opinion that National Party policy represented by Mrs Wagner’s Member’s Bill deals comprehensively with the problem of excessively noisy vehicles and is consistent with the rules applying in Australia and the European Union.

NZ First policy.

At the last election NZ First advised that “the Government intended examining all these problem areas in detail and stipulating acceptable solutions. We were expecting the Government to honour these intentions. NZ First is supportive of that occurring……”

In respect of Nicky Wagner’s Member’s Bill NZ First has said that it's MPs are unable to make a decision about support until the Bill has been introduced in the House.

NOISE OFF – CRITIQUE OF THE NZ FIRST POLICY

The New Zealand First Party has no specific policy on noisy exhausts but they are concerned about the issue. They refer to the Government’s intention to examine the problem and stipulate acceptable solutions. New Zealand First is relying on the Government to stipulate acceptable solutions of which New Zealand First says it will be supportive.

Greens policy.

Jeanette Fitzsimons has advised that:

“The Green Party is supportive of measures to reduce noise from any source and recognizes that modified vehicles are prime offenders. The issue with regulating it is to have an objective and measurable standard.”

NOISE OFF – CRITIQUE OF THE GREENS POLICY

It appears that the Green Party will be supportive of the Government’s introduction of an objective noise test for the Warrant of Fitness station and we expect the Green Party will be supportive of reducing the noise level currently permitted from modified exhausts.

The Greens advise that they cannot give any comment in respect of Nicky Wagner’s Member’s Bill until the Bill is before the House at which stage they say they will give it their very careful consideration.

United Future policy.

In respect of both the Labour Government and the National Party’s initiatives United Future records that:

“United Future would be prepared to support the introduction of an objective noise test for exhausts, similar to the Australian one……..”

and

“…….. We will certainly view the Wagner Bill with an open mind at the appropriate time.”

NOISE OFF – CRITIQUE OF THE UNITED FUTURE POLICY

Noise Off welcomes United Future’s support for the introduction of an objective test whether it is introduced by the Government or through Mrs Wagner’s Member’s Bill.

Maori Party policy.

Tariana Turia and Dr Pita Sharples advise that:

“The Maori Party is committed to assisting whanau, hapu and iwi as tangata tiaki to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure the well-being and future good health of the environment. We are committed to keeping our natural resources and environment healthy, safe and intact for everyone. As part of this we are clearly interested in ways to reduce noise pollution and share your concerns at the way in which the 2005 Vehicle Equipment Rules have exacerbated the public health issues emerging from faulty vehicle exhausts.”

NOISE OFF – CRITIQUE OF THE Maori Party policy

We are pleased to note that the Maori Party shares our concerns with the public health issues arising from noisy vehicle exhausts and expect that the Maori Party will support both the Government and Nicky Wagner’s initiatives to introduce objective testing and lower the noise emitted from noisy exhausts.