Sunrise discuss a push to ban noisy mowers and leaf blowers on public holidays

Brisbane City Council petitioned to ban leaf blowers on public holiday mornings

PerthNow

A group of Queenslanders is pushing their local council to ban early risers from using their noisy garden equipment on public holidays.

In a petition lodged to Brisbane City Council, the residents want to restrict the use of tools such as leaf blowers to afternoons in a bid to create some “peace” on long weekends.

“Residents draw to the attention the use of leaf blowers and other loud powered devices being used on public holidays that are detrimental to the residents being able to enjoy their days off in peace,” the petition reads.

“Your petitioners therefore request that the use of leaf blowers and other noisy powered yard tools be restricted to the PM hours of the day during public holidays.”

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

If the residents get council backing for their proposal, anyone who dares to wake their neighbours up with their gardening faces “confiscation and destruction” of their power tools.

The petition, which closes on Friday, had 51 signatures by 9.30am.

A group of Brisbane wants to restrict leaf blowers to the afternoon hours.
Camera IconA group of Brisbane wants to restrict leaf blowers to the afternoon hours.

In a debate on Sunrise this morning, host Samantha Armytage laughed off the proposal.

“If we’re not confiscating people’s phone when they’re driving and on their phone and being completely deadly on the roads, why would be confiscate leaf blowers, for goodness sake?” she said.

The Courier Mail reports the council received about 350 noise complaints about “regulated devices” last year, which included several about garden tools.

But the council has already distanced itself from introducing the new rules.

Community, arts and lifestyle committee chairman Peter Matic reportedly said there were no plans to introduce local laws around leaf blowers.

“The use of leaf blowers is regulated by the state government and they would need to act on any changes to their laws,” he told the Courier Mail.