THE shadow treasurer Joe Hockey is backing calls for a second Sydney airport and says the coalition is waiting for the federal government to make a decision.
Mr Hockey was responding to concerns from 20 airlines, investors and industry consultants who have rejected the NSW government's position that Kingsford Smith Airport can continue to meet demand.
They want a second airport in the Sydney basin fully operational within a decade.
Mr Hockey says he has supported a second airport since 1996 and it remains coalition policy.
"From our perspective we want Sydney to have the infrastructure that is going to deal with the challenges of the 21st century," he told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.
"You cannot have the infrastructure risk associated with just one airport."
Mr Hockey says the coalition is waiting for federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese to make an announcement on a second airport.
"The federal government had a role to play in that, there's no doubt about it because 40 per cent of the Australian economy resides between Newcastle and Wollongong."
But Mr Hockey would not be drawn on whether he should try to convince Mr O'Farrell to back a second airport, saying he would leave that for the federal government and the NSW premier to discuss.
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