Our Objectives
The objectives of the Waubra Foundation are as follows:
To promote human health and well being through the prevention and control of diseases and other adverse health effects due to industrial sound and vibration.
To promote and protect human rights where those human rights are, or may be, adversely affected because of industrial
sound and vibration.
The Objectives were revised on April 26, 2016
The Foundation’s Purpose
The purpose of the Foundation has been essentially the same from the outset, i.e. as currently expressed in the objects in its constitution:
To promote human health and well being through the prevention and control of diseases and other adverse health effects due to industrial sound and vibration.
To promote and protect human rights where those human rights are, or may be, adversely affected because of industrial sound and vibration.
The two elements of the purpose are intimately connected. Health promotion by the Foundation is specifically related to sound and vibration from industrial sources, not from natural or other sources. Such noise typically arises from the activities of companies and frequently with the approval or acquiescence of governments. Consequently, where it has adverse health effects for unrelated parties it commonly constitutes an infringement of human rights. The Foundation’s human rights mission is thus very specifically targeted on those instances where infringement is related to the effects of industrial sound and vibration.
Evolution of the Foundation’s Objects
While the purpose of the Foundation has not changed, the statement of Objects in its Constitution has altered over time as the Foundation has sought the best way to convey to its members and the broader community a statement about its purpose and the way it pursues that purpose.
In some earlier statements of the objects the Foundation mixed in some of the methods through which that purpose would be achieved (e.g. “Gather, investigate and review complaints of health problems . . . “; and “Build the existing and new data into a high quality data base . . . “). This is a fairly common practice with company’s articles and constitutions to include an extensive set of intended or potential activities on the grounds that will forestall someone objecting to actions as not explicitly covered by the articles/constitution; or to use those statements as a way of helping others understand the multiplicity of actions that might be within the scope of the organisation.
Having more recently realised that led to a situation where some parties found it difficult to “see the wood for the trees”, the Foundation has now restricted the statement of Objects to the actual purpose of the Foundation. All of the methods previously mentioned still remain as ways the Foundations works to fulfil its purpose (see Appendix A).
Sources of Industrial Noise Covered by the Purpose
From its inception, the Foundation’s purpose has covered all sources of industrial noise. For instance, the formation statement of Objects included:
- Gather, investigate and review complaints of health problems that have been perceived by the complainants as being associated with living or working close to wind turbines or such other industrial sources that may be considered as relevant.
- Continue to gather additional information from existing and new wind projects or other sources as it becomes available.
. . .
- Provide such advice and assistance as can be given to individuals and communities who believe that their health is or may be impacted by adjacent wind turbines or other sources.
Note the bold emphasis added above. The purpose has always covered all sources of industrial noise and vibration, within the resources and capacity of the Foundation at any time. At the Foundation’s inception, the most proximate and immediate source of potentially harmful industrial sound and vibration for its members and their communities was wind farms, given those communities were mainly rural ones. As the Foundation has developed, it has assisted people whose health is affected by industrial sound and vibration from other sources (as the original Objects indicated), including mine exhaust fans and gas fired power stations.
Methods Used in Pursuing the Foundation’s Purpose
The methods used at various times by the Foundation in pursuing its purpose include, but are not restricted to:
- Gathering, investigating, and reviewing complaints of health problems that have been perceived by the complainants as being associated with exposure to industrial sources of noise, including infrasound, low frequency noise (ILFN) and vibration.
- Gathering additional information from existing and new industrial environmental noise sources, and relevant health and acoustics research as it becomes available.
- Building the existing research and new field data into a high quality library and data base suitable as a start point for properly constructed studies and review by others.
- Using the Foundation’s knowledge of the reported problems and the existing research, together with contacts with noise affected people, and field data, to both engage in co-operative information exchanges and facilitate studies with independent researchers in Australia and internationally.
- On the basis of the field data gathered, plus local, overseas and co-operative studies, providing relevant and independent advice to communities, the public at large and local, state and federal governments as well as other relevant industries, organizations, and professionals.
- Promoting research into the effects and causes of illnesses that may be associated with living or working close to environmental noise sources of ILFN and vibration.
- Make the results of such research widely available to all interested parties in a transparent manner.
- Facilitating the establishment of individual networks of relevant specialties of medical practitioners and other health practitioners to enable the rapid sharing of information and expertise in the diagnosis, management and treatment of patients with symptoms of diseases known as “wind turbine syndrome” and “vibroacoustic disease” as well as “environmental sleep disorder” and other symptoms and health conditions resulting from exposure to infrasound and low frequency noise (ILFN) and vibration, historically called “annoyance” by acoustic engineers and researchers.
- Providing such advice and assistance as can be given to individuals and communities who believe that their health is or may be impacted by adjacent sources of ILFN and vibration. This may include but is not limited to assistance with accessing knowledgeable acoustic and health professionals, accessing researchers, accessing respite accommodation, and assistance with the provision of expert evidence.
- Providing assistance with preparation of complaints with respect to breaches of human rights. Such breaches of human rights could include but are not limited to breaches of the following Conventions to which Australia is a signatory:
- UN Convention on elimination of racial discrimination
- UN Convention against torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- UN Convention on the rights of the child
- UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities
Download the Evolution of the Waubra Foundation Objectives since Incorporation