Questions & Answers Paper No. 158 - Parliament of New South ...

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7100 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2009 excessively noisy vehicles to the Environment Line on 131 555, the Police Assistance Line on 131 444, or local council. These contacts are available on the Department's website. The Department also regularly issues media releases promoting the outcomes of joint noisy vehicle operations with NSW Police. Media releases include information on how the public can report noisy vehicles. (3) Australian Design Rule (ADR) 83⁄00 specifies drive-by noise levels that vehicle manufacturers and importers must meet. This takes into account all sources of noise from a vehicle, such as tyre, engine, air intake and exhaust noise. ADR 83⁄00 also requires stationary exhaust noise levels to be established for vehicles in service. The NSW Protection of the Environment Operations (Noise Control) Regulation 2008 prescribes stationary exhaust noise levels for vehicles used on NSW roads. The Regulation also requires that the noise level from a vehicle's noise control equipment must be no greater than the noise level of the original equipment fitted by the manufacturer. (4) When two separate complaints are received, a notice is issued to the vehicle owner requiring the owner to demonstrate that the vehicle exhaust noise complies with the legal limit. If the notice is not complied with, the vehicle registration is suspended. (5) 369 penalty notices have been issued by the Department of Environment Climate Change and Water since the commencement of the Protection of the Environment Operations (Noise Control) Regulation 2008 on 1 March 2008. (6) The Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government requires vehicle manufacturers and importers to demonstrate that exhaust systems comply with Australian Design Rules (ADR) 83⁄00 in relation to drive by noise. The NSW Protection of the Environment Operations (Noise Control) Regulation 2008 requires vehicle repairers to ensure that repairs or modifications do not make a vehicle's noise control equipment louder than the original equipment fitted by the manufacturer. Repairs or modifications should not result in the exhaust system emitting more noise than the stationary exhaust noise level specified in the Regulation for that model. *7493 INTERSTATE REGISTERED RTA VEHICLES—Mr Ray Williams asked the Minister for Roads— Why are several RTA vehicles in use on Sydney roads registered in a State other than NSW and have registration plates identifying them as interstate vehicles? Answer— I am advised: All vehicles owned or leased by the RTA are registered in New South Wales. Contractors performing work for the RTA may have vehicles registered in another state. *7494 TRANSITION TO RETIREMENT PROGRAMS—Mr Ray Williams asked the Minister for Transport, and Minister for the Illawarra representing the Minister for Corrective Services, Minister for Public Sector Reform, Special Minister of State— Given superannuation contributors Transition to Retirement programs have been available for some time now and NSW public servants have not had access to these programs if they contribute to the State Superannuation Scheme (SSS) and the State Authorities Superannuation Scheme (SASS), when will the Transition to Retirement programs be made available to all NSW public servants? Answer— The Department of Premier and Cabinet and Treasury are reviewing allowing SSS and SASS to participate in transition to retirement arrangements. *7495 WATER BUYBACK EMBARGO—Ms Katrina Hodgkinson asked the Minister for Water, and Minister for Regional Development— (1) Given reports in the media that the Victorian Parliament is likely to lift the 10% cap on the volume of water entitlements that can be purchased by licence holders outside of Victoria, will the Minister, as a matter of urgency, review the embargo on the further sales of water licences to the Federal Government Water Buy Back Scheme? (2) What specific conditions must Victoria meet before the NSW embargo will be lifted? Answer— Produced by Altsoft Xml2PDF
7101 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2009 (1) and (2) The lifting of the embargo took effect on 25 September 2009, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the NSW and Australian Governments in relation to the purchase of water for the environment. *7496 GRENFELL MPS—Ms Katrina Hodgkinson asked the Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, and Minister for Commerce representing the Attorney General, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Health, Minister for the Central Coast, Vice President of the Executive Council— (1) Will the Minister confirm reports from Grenfell residents that the Grenfell MPS does not have a VMO accredited to the facility? (2) How long has the Grenfell MPS not had a VMO available? (3) Given that frail and elderly patients have expressed their concerns that they have to travel long distances to Orange or Cowra hospitals for minor procedures that have to be performed by a medical practitioner, what action has the Minister taken to obtain the services of a relief or replacement VMO? Answer— I am advised: (1) to (3) Grenfell MPS does have a GP VMO appointed and credentialed to the facility. The GP VMO continues to provide services to patients in the acute area and the Emergency Department. The GP VMO is available On-Call for patients who present to the Emergency Department and are triaged as Category 1 or 2. The Rural Medical Call Service is utilised for Category 3, 4 or 5 presentations. The Greater Western Area Health Service continues efforts to recruit a locum to provide medical coverage for those patients not seen by the GP VMO. Recruitment action is also underway to recruit a VMO to an additional vacant position. *7497 LACHLAN VALLEY RAILWAY—Ms Katrina Hodgkinson asked the Minister for Transport, and Minister for the Illawarra— (1) Given that the Lachlan Valley Railway Society is now effectively restricted to operating in the immediate area of the Cowra Rail Depot by the suspension of operations on the Cowra-Demondrille rail line, will the Minister support the proposal by Lachlan Valley Railway to obtain a licence to operate and control the sections of the line between Blayney and Demondrille and Koorawatha and Greenethorpe? (2) Will the Minister instruct the Department of Transport and the Rail Infrastructure Corporation to assist the Lachlan Valley Railway to obtain a copy of: (a) a report of the condition of the rail line between Blayney and Demondrille; (b) a report of the condition of the rail line between Blayney to Cowra, closed 2 years ago; (c) a report of the condition of the rail line between Koorawatha and Greenethorpe, closed several months ago? Answer— (1) and (2) The Government announced in the November 2008 Mini Budget that services would be suspended on up to 5 lines on the Country Regional Network. A decision on this was delayed pending the completion of the Expression of Interest for the provision of Grain Haulage on branch lines and the Federal review of the transport of grain. I have since been advised that unless significant major works were carried out on the line, its condition would reach a state where the risk of continued operations would be unacceptable. I support any serious proposal to make use of the Blayney-Cowra-Demondrille and Koorawatha-Greenethorpe lines. I have asked Rail Infrastructure Corporation to assist the Lachlan Valley Railway Society in any application for a licence it may be considering by providing it with access to the track so that Lachlan Valley Railway Society can make its own assessment of the condition of the track and bridges. I am advised that if the Lachlan Valley Railway Society wishes to pursue an arrangement to maintain the track and operate rolling stock on any non operational line it will need to obtain appropriate accreditation from the Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator and enter into an agreement with the Rail Infrastructure Corporation. The Lachlan Valley Railway Society will also need to satisfy itself of the condition of the line and establish its own systems to ensure safe operations. 8 SEPTEMBER 2009 Produced by Altsoft Xml2PDF
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Questions & Answers Paper No. 158 - Parliament of New South ...

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