Party Inc is a real racket...

EVERY picture tells a story - especially the amount of rubbish left outside an upmarket Noosa Sound home after a weekend of partying.

Paulette Andrews and her daughter Heidi have pleaded with real estate agents, politicians and police for years for peace and quiet from neighbouring party animals.

But Member for Noosa Glen Elmes said if a bill is passed in parliament next month, a good night's sleep may be around the corner for the Witta Circle residents.

"The bill empowers local council to make a local law that makes the owner of a residential property liable to a penalty because of excessive noise regularly emitted from the property," he said.

Division 11 Councillor Russell Green said that having to involve state government to introduce legislation and regulations was a sad indictment of some people's behaviour.

"It's just common decency that people using properties show respect for their neighbour."

Residents of 14 years Paulette and Heidi Andrews, together with other permanent neighbours say they have watched helplessly as family homes have been reduced to rubble to make way for enormous mansions, while others have had extensions to accommodate numbers far more than the average family.

Heidi Andrews believes the size of these houses, which can go through planning as residential, really only have one thing in mind - and that is to act as a commercial venture.

She said homes constructed with facilities to sleep 16 to 24 people, with up to five bathrooms and no vehicle garaging have been deliberately built as commercial enterprises and should be properly assessed as a business.

According to Pauline and Heidi Andrews the change has happened by stealth.

Slowly, but surely and with council approvals the neighbourhood has been remade as party central.

Noosa Police Sergeant Dean Holmes said he was aware of the area but did not categorise it as a troublemaking spot.

"We've been there about three or four times this year," he said.

"But they're usually pretty good there, once we tell them they settle down."

But not for long enough.

"They will quieten down for a while after the police come and then just start up again," he said.

Mr Elmes said the issue of party houses had been a matter of great concern to himself and Member for Mermaid Beach Ray Stevens,

"It has also been of concern to accommodation providers who have seen some of their business leaked to inappropriate competition which has not been required to provide the entire proper safety infrastructure that genuine holiday accommodation is required to have," Mr Elmes said.

"The Newman Government has indicated its intention in a number of cases now that it is clearly seeking local people to determine local solutions to local issues.

At a Glance

A commonly held belief is that there is a 10pm curfew on noise.

Not true.

Excessive noise from your party can be reported to police, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and once reported will be investigated by police. If the police are reasonably satisfied the noise is excessive in the circumstances, police have the power to enter the premises, without warrant, and give the person responsible for the noise (including the host) a noise abatement direction.

The noise abatement direction can be given verbally or in writing and will direct the person to immediately stop the excessive noise and to cease making 'any' excessive noise for 12 hours after the direction is given.

Info: What you need to know - Queensland Police Service: police.qld.gov.au

The Committee is required to report to the House on November 6, 2012. It is expected that the legislation will be considered by the House during its last two weeks of Sitting for the year