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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1994
POLICY ON OVERHANGING SIGNBOARDS IS TO ENSURE SAFETY
THE PRIMARY CONCERN OF THE GOVERNMENT AS REGARDS OVERHANGING SIGNBOARDS IS SAFETY, THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE SAID THE POLICY WAS TO ENSURE THAT SIGNBOARDS WHICH COULD POSE A THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY WERE REMOVED EITHER BY THE OWNERS THEMSELVES OR, IF NECESSARY, BY THE BUILDINGS DEPARTMENT.
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SPEAKING DURING A MOTION DEBATE ON OVERHANGING SIGNBOARDS, EASON SAID: "ACTION TAKEN TO DATE TO DEAL WITH DANGEROUS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIGNS HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE AND APPEARS REPRESENT A BETTER APPLICATION OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES THAN A LICENSING SYSTEM.
"THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING A LICENSING SYSTEM HAS BEEN CAREFULLY CONSIDERED AND THE CONCLUSION REACHED WAS THAT SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD BE RESOURCE INTENSIVE AND COSTLY,
"IT WOULD TAKE YEARS TO DEAL WITH EXISTING SIGNS WHERE THE MAIN POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEMS LIE AND TO DEAL ONLY WITH NEW SIGNS WOULD BE TO DIRECT RESOURCES AWAY FROM THE AREA OF POTENTIAL RISK.
"THE CASE WITH WHICH LICENSING CONTROLS COULD BE EVADED AND THE DIFFICULTY OF ENFORCEMENT ARE ALSO FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED," HE SAID.
THE BUILDINGS DEPARTMENT ESTIMATES THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 170,000 ADVERTISING SIGNS IN THE TERRITORY; THAT THIS FIGURE INCREASES BY ABOUT SIX PER CENT PER YEAR; AND THAT ABOUT THREE PER CENT OF EXISTING SIGNS WILL BE REPLACED EACH YEAR.
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MR EASON SAID MEASURES BEING TAKEN BY THE BUILDINGS DEPARTMENT WERE GENERALLY SUFFICIENT TO ENSURE THAT SIGNBOARDS DID NOT POSE HAZARD TO THE PUBLIC.
"WHEN A DANGEROUS OR POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIGN IS IDENTIFIED, A NOTICE WILL BE SERVED ON THE OWNER REQUIRING THE SIGN TO BE REMOVED OR RENDERED SAFE.
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CASE OF EMERGENCY, THE BUILDINGS DEPARTMENT MAY REMOVE A DANGEROUS SIGN WITHOUT GIVING PRIOR NOTICE TO THE OWNER.
"AS PART OF THEIR DAILY WORK IN THE FIELD OF BUILDING
SAFETY, STAFF OF THE BUILDINGS DEPARTMENT BOTH SEEK OUT DANGEROUS SIGNS AND RESPOND TO PUBLIC REPORTS ABOUT THEM.
HE SAID: "SINCE APRIL 1987 WHEN THE BUILDINGS DEPARTMENT TOOK ON THE TASK OF DEALING WITH DANGEROUS SIGNS, MORE THAN 5,800 NOTICES HAVE BEEN SERVED ON OWNERS, AND OVER 3,900 (ABOUT 67 PER CENT) HAVE BEEN COMPLIED WITH VOLUNTARILY. THE REMAINDER WERE DEALT WITH BY GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS.
THE NUMBER OF CASES HAS DIMINISHED FROM A PEAK OF ABOUT 2,240 IN 1988 TO 67 IN 1993. IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THIS YEAR THERE WERE NINE CASES.
AS REGARDS THE ATTACHMENT OF ADVERTISING SIGNS ΤΟ BUILDINGS, IT IS WITHIN THE POWER OF THE OWNERS, UNDER THE MUTUAL COVENANT, TO EXERCISE CONTROL IF THEY CHOOSE TO.
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