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Cairns council: residents seek to scrap buskers on Abbott St

Residents at a luxury city apartment have launched a petition, protesting against buskers outside the Night Markets.

RESIDENTS opposite Cairns Night Markets want to put a stop to buskers.

A petition was presented at Cairns Regional Council’s meeting on Wednesday saying Centrepoint residents were regularly disturbed by buskers at the Abbott St entrance to the markets.

Centrepoint is at 141-143 Abbott St and operates as tourist accommodation as well.

“The music, noise amplification and repetition from the buskers is interfering with the quiet enjoyment of our residence,” the petition stated.

Busker Jean Urien performing in Cairns. Picture: Anna Rogers
Busker Jean Urien performing in Cairns. Picture: Anna Rogers

“Multiple complaints have been made over a long period of time and no action has been taken by Council.”

Residents say busking should never have been allowed in the first place at the site.

Division 5 councillor Amy Eden said council would review the situation.

“Busking plays an important role in creating a vibrant and dynamic city, and council understands there is a need to balance the needs of stakeholders, including businesses, residents and visitors,” Cr Eden said.

She said council had adopted a best practice management policy for busking, ensuring it was at appropriate locations and there were quality performances that were appropriate, safe and contributed to the vibrancy of Cairns.

Night Markets manager Mark Stanley said he sympathised with Centrepoint residents – but he added there were fewer than two buskers per week at the Abbott St entrance at present.

Cairns busker Joel Sims. Picture: Justin Brierty
Cairns busker Joel Sims. Picture: Justin Brierty

“We don’t want to be seen to be disruptive and we can approach buskers and ask them to keep their noise to a specified limit and to refrain from using amplified music (but) we are trying to encourage more of a vibrant atmosphere in the city,” Mr Stanley said.

“I don’t know if the technology is there, but I would suggest to council to have a sensor sitting somewhere in proximity to those guys, and when the noise gets over a certain level it could flash a red light, and then they would know themselves they are getting too loud.”

Council requires buskers to have a permit to perform in public spaces and busking is allowed between 8am and 11.50pm.

Buskers have to audition to get a permit.

Cairns busker John Brown performs at the night markets a couple times a week to provide for his two kids as a single father.

“I have been a full time dad and I do it for pocket money. Most of the money goes towards the kids,” he said.

Mr Brown said he did not think it did any harm to the residents across the road.

“The public love it and it’s not hurting anyone. A city is not meant to be quiet,” he said.

“Every big city pretty much has people busking, because it adds a bit of character to the street and makes people happy.”

Mr Brown said he has been doing it for over 20 years and loves making people laugh and giggle.

“Why do you want to take that away from people? The businesses that are there, they like it,” he said.

“They have little chairs and tables at the front. People sit there and they enjoy it.

“It makes them stay longer then they buy more food and talk.”

Are buskers part of a vibrant Cairns City scene – or a noisy nuisance? Have your say in the comments below.

bronwyn.farr@news.com.au

Originally published as Cairns council: residents seek to scrap buskers on Abbott St

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/cairns/cairns-council-residents-seek-to-scrap-buskers-on-abbott-st/news-story/e7bac1e80e7d1977c3328e17ee57f93f