Attention:
Executive Members
Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants
Chairman: Richard Haydon
Vice Chairman Gustaf Reutersward
Treasurer Tim Reynolds
Secretary Tim Trewin
Communications Matthew Stead
Executive Member Matthew Ottley
Dear Executive Council Members,
RE: Open Letter to the Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants
The Wind Farm Living Community of Moyne Shire have come to realise the significance wind turbine acoustic works, undertaken by your members, have on the lives and livelihood of the various farming communities throughout the Shire.
The industry is technically specialised and often elusive to the ordinary country person; however, we are aware that your members are bound by the Australian Acoustical Society’s code of conduct (see attached), which state that “the welfare, health and safety of the community shall at all times take precedence over sectional, professional and private interests”.
Given that the Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants ( https://aaac.org.au/ ) is the governing body which takes on the responsibility to oversee the activities of the Australian Acoustical Society (https://www.acoustics.org.au/ ) , we ask that the executive of the Federal Council engage with us to clarify our queries outlined below:
- In a rural environment, is the background noise level at night lower than the background level of noise during the day. In other words, in the country, is it quieter at night than it is in the day?
- What factors make up the acoustic amenity of residents in a rural setting including single dwellings on farms and multiple dwellings in townships.
- Given that there are no studies in the world, including no studies by the World Health Organisation, to show that rural environmental background night noise is the same as city traffic background night noise, would it therefore be more appropriate to base wind turbine night noise compliance under NZ 6806-2010, on the ability of a person to have on-going undisturbed sleep at night rather than a mathematical measurement based on road traffic noise?
- Does Acousticians’ professional indemnity insurance cover AAS members for false reporting?
- Do you have any governance over off-shore Acoustics Companies?
- What is your stance on your members engaging the services of off-shore Acoustics Companies as part of their compliance reporting?
- In reference to the late John Madigan’s speech in parliament (see attached), how can the Wind Farm Living Community of Moyne Shire be confident that all Australian Acoustical members will act in a professional manner under their industry code of ethics?
Kind Regards,
Wind Farm Living, Moyne Shire
Updated 20.1.21
Dear AAAC, and all members of the Australian Acoustical Society,
Apologies for assuming that the AAAC governs the AAC.
The email notes of clarification (see below) from Acousticians clear up the wrong assumption made.
This is good information to know, and we look forward to the questions being answered by the relevant organisation.
Wind Farm Living, Moyne Shire
https://defrock.org/senator-madigans-renewable-energy-speech-15-9-15/
See; https://defrock.org/2021/01/26/letter-to-chair-aaac-2013/
DeFrock 