Exhaust Labels Fall Off
Sydney, 21 March, 2006
NSW motorcyclists have finally been relieved of a stupid NSW Regulation.
In July 2000, the Environmental Protection Authority (now part of the Dept of Environment and Conservation) introduced a retrospective law demanding that aftermarket replacement motorcycle exhausts be specially labelled and then authorised the Police to issue fines of $200 to riders who didn’t have this label.
In it’s justification, the then EPA claimed this labelling requirement allowed the Police and EPA officers to readily identify less effective mufflers that may exceed the prescribed noise limits
EPA made no provision by which riders could obtain such a label. Riders referred to this law as “the sticker tax”.
However, after 6 years of protest by the Motorcycle Council of NSW, Clause 19 from the Protection of the Environment Operations Regulation has now been repealed.
The regulation was published in the Government Gazette No. 35, (11/2006) pp 1379 & 1380 on Friday 17, March 2006. It does not appear in any Parliamentary Hansard or Notices, as it seems our State government would prefer to see this change go unnoticed. download from box below
Exhaust labels required under Clause 19 will remain on many motorcycles as a reminder to riders to remain vigilant and how, by uniting through their Motorcycle Council in NSW, they can address serious issues.
Mr. Chris Turner, Chair of the Noise Committee of the Motorcycle Council of NSW said today “Yes, the misused sticker law allowed enforcement agencies to easily identify mufflers which may or may not be illegal and give you a $200 fine in either case!”
The repeal of this law is great news for motorcycle riders from any State travelling in NSW, as all motorcycles had been subjected to this NSW law despite the uniqueness of the regulation.
The Motorcycle Council wishes to acknowledge assistance from the NSW Democrats, in an initial Motion of Disallowance and also acknowledge support granted to this Motion from members of the NSW Upper House. It reinforces the value of an independent Upper House.
Guy Stanford, Chairman of the MCC of NSW said “I’d like to thank the persistence and skill of the Noise Committee, particularly Chris Coote and Chris Turner. We still have to resolve the issue of margin for error in roadside exhaust tests and the Noise Committee is well up to the task.”
