Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Reconciliation and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The residents of Kingsford Smith are completely opposed to the proposals for an extension of business activities at Sydney airport. Whenever there is discussion and debate surrounding the government’s handling of its responsibilities over Sydney airport—the nation’s largest and busiest airport, situated in a critical area of infrastructure with port facilities nearby and the financial and corporate hub of Australia on its doorstep—I am always keen to ensure that there is the capacity for local residents to be both informed and heard. For this reason I have been particularly concerned of late by two issues which directly affect residents in Kingsford Smith: the bungling of airport security, as reported this week in the media, and the proposed development of a retail shopping centre on airport land.

At a time when there are reports of security gates being left open and cars sneaking through security checkpoints—obvious breaches of security which expose a number of operational failings—we still do not have a full-time Inspector of Transport Security. How can the Howard government be taken seriously on airport security when they do not even have a full-time cop on the beat? And to add further complication and concern for those in the vicinity of airport land—the residents of the suburbs of Kingsford Smith—we now hear that Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd has submitted a revised development proposal to build a shopping complex at the junction of Foreshore Road and the M5 motorway, an area of significant traffic congestion at most times of the day—and this time without any form of community consultation.

Previously I noted that the majority of constituents in Kingsford Smith were totally opposed to this development. I can now update members on exactly how unpopular this proposal has been. A recent poll in my local paper, the Southern Courier, published on 8 August, showed almost 80 per cent of residents were opposed to any further retail development at Sydney airport. Additionally, the state member for Heffron, Kristina Keneally, conducted her own survey and advised the minister of the results, which included the fact that 88 per cent of respondents were concerned about the impact on traffic volumes from the proposed development and 81 per cent nominated the lack of control by state and local planning authorities for the proposed development as a significant concern.

It beggars belief now that a revised proposal can be submitted to the minister without any consultation with residents, local councils or the state government. Minister Truss has only one option, and that is to dismiss outright this totally inappropriate and unacceptable proposal.

I note the minister’s comments that the primary purpose of all federally based airports is to be used as airports. This proposed development, which is in completely the wrong place, which poses significant difficulties for the management of air traffic control on the airport, which opens up the possibility of further exposure to terrorism risks and, most significantly, which imposes an additional burden on the local residents, is completely unacceptable. (Time expired)