Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I am just identifying the point that the background of members on this side is overwhelmingly from the private sector and from small business. We understand how important tourism is to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and how important the investment we are making in infrastructure is to tourism on the Sunshine Coast. I am making the point that that is critical to good representation.

The member for Fisher has been a great supporter of the $38 billion program we have undertaken to invest in infrastructure across Australia. He has also been a great supporter of encouraging and facilitating private sector investment in infrastructure across Australia, particularly that which is going to benefit the tourism industry. Today I know that he supported the announcement I made on behalf of the government to approve a $1 billion investment in the Brisbane airport of the new parallel runway, which needs to be started today so it is ready in eight years time, when that airport reaches its capacity as far as inbound tourism is concerned. We need to be able to take these tough decisions when they come along.

Brisbane airport is currently managing 17 million passenger movements per year. In 2015, when the new parallel runway is completed, it will be carrying 25 million passenger movements, and in 2035 it is forecast to carry 50 million passenger movements. The economic activity generated by that airport is worth about $17 billion in south-east Queensland. The point I am making is that it takes a small businessman to recognise its value, and that it generates jobs in the community—not union hacks that are going to come into this parliament, if they are elected to represent the Labor Party.

In making the decision about the new parallel runway in Brisbane, we have taken into consideration a lot of the environmental and economic concerns in the community: the consultation process that has been undertaken and the design of what is going to be a very significant piece of infrastructure in Brisbane. The draft EIS indicates that there will be 185,000 fewer people affected by aircraft noise as a result of this development compared to what there would be if the current circumstances were allowed to continue with the growth that is forecast. Having parallel runways allows the airport to operate simultaneous opposite direction operations at night on those two runways so that all air traffic is out over Moreton Bay and not over the suburbs of Brisbane. This underpins the government’s decision on this.

We know the Leader of the Opposition has a position on this. Do you know what it is? It is to have another inquiry about a curfew at Brisbane airport—this is not No. 96 that we are speaking about; this is No. 97—an inquiry about aircraft noise and a curfew at Brisbane airport. His colleagues in the Labor government in Queensland do not agree with him. They do not want a curfew at Brisbane airport. They see it driving the Queensland economy and want no curfew at Queensland airport. They want this development to go ahead and they want this parallel runway built because that is the way to mitigate aircraft noise around Brisbane.

The Leader of the Opposition just wants to set up another inquiry. He is all about setting up reviews and inquiries and forming committees, and that is no recipe for good government. It is no substitute for making tough decisions and it is no substitute for good leadership—and he would not be a good leader of this country.

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