Updated
The NSW Government has approved a residential development in South Tralee, near Queanbeyan. But it's under the flight path of Canberra Airport. The Government says it's taken steps to ensure the move won't affect Canberra Airport's expansion plans but the Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese's accused State Premier Barry O'Farrell of undermining his own plans for Canberra to be a second airport to Sydney.
Lexi Metherell
Source: AM | Duration: 3min 15sec
Topics: air-transport, building-and-construction, housing, queanbeyan-2620
TONY EASTLEY: The vexed issue of how to deal with the increasingly limited capacity of Australia's busiest airport has taken another twist.
The New South Wales Government has approved a residential development under the flight path of Canberra Airport, which New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell favours as a second airport for Sydney.
The State Government says it's taken steps to ensure the planning approval won't stymie Canberra Airport's long term growth and viability, but the move has drawn a sharp response from the Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese.
He's speaking here to reporter, Lexi Metherell.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: What we have had is Barry O'Farrell out there all year saying that he supported Canberra being Sydney's second airport.
Now as bizarre as that proposition is, it's completely undermined by this decision to give the green light to housing under the flight path.
LEXI METHERELL: Isn't it the case, though, that the New South Wales Government will put restrictions on this residential development that mean that Canberra airport's expansion plans won't be restricted.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: No, look the fact is that what you have in Canberra is one of the few major airports that has an approach to the airport that is free of housing development. Now that's meant it's been able to plan to have 24 hour operations and it's meant that it has enormous potential in growth, particularly in the freight area.
But the fact is that putting housing under this flight path will, over a period of time, undermine activity at the airport.
LEXI METHERELL: You say that the idea of a second airport for Sydney in Canberra is bizarre but doesn't your concern over this matter suggest that you are not ruling out Canberra airport as a possible second airport for Sydney in future?
ANTHONY ALBANESE: No, I never saw it as a possible Sydney second airport. That proposal never had legs.
Sydney needs a second airport which, funnily enough, is in Sydney and services Sydney. But Barry O'Farrell's been out there saying that it can be Sydney's second airport and yet all the while planning to approve this housing development and to undermine Canberra airport.
Melbourne Cup Day is one of those days that politicians and journalists talk about as 'take out your trash' day. Well, today Barry O'Farrell has put out the trash and he's trashed his own position on Canberra being Sydney's second airport.
LEXI METHERELL: Would you be prepared to challenge it in the courts, though?
ANTHONY ALBANESE: We'll certainly consider our options, but I would hope that the New South Wales Government reconsiders this position.
LEXI METHERELL: Do you ever see Canberra airport becoming a fully fledged international airport?
ANTHONY ALBANESE: There is a potential for Canberra airport to take international flights, as Canberra and the region grow.
That is a real potential, particularly because it is a curfew-free airport. These are all potentials down the track. What we need to do is to make sure when it comes to infrastructure, that we don't make decisions today which inhibit economic growth and development in the future.
TONY EASTLEY: The Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese, speaking to Lexi Metherell.
No comments:
Post a Comment