Louise Markus (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Minister, I have received correspondence from some concerned residents in the Lower Blue Mountains who are concerned about the proposed Western Sydney Airport's impact on aerial firefighting and hazard reduction activities in the Blue Mountains, given that this is a bushfire-prone area. Minister, can you please advise my constituents what impact the proposed airport will have on these activities?

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. It is a very serious matter and particularly significant at this time of the year, when we have already had an early beginning to the bushfire season with the tragic loss of life at Esperance. I am disappointed that there are letters circulating in the honourable member's electorate suggesting that for some reason or other the Western Sydney Airport will hamper and hinder the fighting of bushfires and backburning in the electorate, particularly in the Blue Mountains and surrounding areas.

This, of course, is a ridiculous scare campaign. If anything, having the airport close by will make it easier to undertake backburning and fight any bushfires which may break out. It is important to note that, under the Australian flight rules, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority gives priority to any aircraft that is operating in and out of an airport and is involved in firefighting or, for that matter, flood relief or other accident or emergency procedures. They get priority. The 737s and the A380s have to wait for the firefighting aircraft. So the capacity to fight fires in the Blue Mountains will be enhanced as a result of having the Western Sydney Airport. The firefighters and anyone engaged will have access to a runway that is closer and refuelling facilities that are closer and, therefore, should be able to do much, much more in being able to address firefighting concerns.

We have practical experience of this. When there have been fires in the Royal National Park, that has not stopped operations out of Kingsford Smith Airport; nor has the Kingsford Smith Airport been a hindrance in any way to the operation of firefighting services when that is necessary in areas like the National Park. So I can give an absolute assurance to the people of the honourable member's electorate that firefighting, backburning and normal maintenance activities that occur to try and protect an area from fire will not in any way be adversely affected as a result of the construction of the Western Sydney Airport.

It is reasonable that people should raise issues during this time when objections can be raised about the plans for the Western Sydney Airport, but I do ask that people base their commentary on a reasonable assessment of the facts and not in any way seek to scare people or to cause unnecessary concern in this regard. I therefore thank the honourable member for the work that she is doing in helping to explain these issues to local people. It is an important issue, and I can give the people of the region an assurance that firefighting activities will not be in any way impeded as a result of this airport project.