Fireworks must stop, writes reader

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Thankfully the annual fireworks fiasco is almost over, although we will still hear the occasional bang for some time to come.

Does anyone try to monitor, or police the farcical “legal” time frame? Whose responsibility is it? Is it a law ? Or a regulation?

How long is the legal time for letting off fireworks?

I heard a mention on the ABC of 14 hours. I thought it was 6pm to 11pm on July 1st.

Has there ever been a recorded instance of anyone handing in unexploded fireworks at the end on the legal period?

The chaos began for me mid morning on the 1st.

I was traveling from East Side to a business in Smith St. The area around the intersection with the Stuart Hwy was completely choked, with a fireworks outlet on either side of the Smith St entry.

Cars parked on every available space, nature strip, footpath, kerbside etc. including one interstate vehicle stopped in the middle of the road while they loaded cartons of fireworks.

Is there any prohibition on sales to interstate residents? Does anyone care?

The first explosion came soon after, about noon. And continued the rest of the day and all night.

Fortunately the rain earlier in the week dampened the chance of grass fires, I didn’t hear of any major blazes.

In Darwin the explosion and incineration of a car was treated as minor collateral damage.

A passing report mentioned several sheds being burnt down. Again, just a minor nuisance in the expression of the “True Territory Spirit”.

It is only a matter of time before it is someone’s house. Or their life. Or perhaps both.

I have just listened to a podcast of David Marr giving a talk on the necessity of ‘banging on" to get change.

I have been banging on for decades about this because my house came within an inch of burning down. Heartened by his talk I will continue.

THIS MUST STOP.

Charlie Carter, Alice Springs