Henry Pike (Bowman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've been making a lot of noise recently about aircraft noise. There's been a push to divert more Brisbane Airport flights away from inner-city Brisbane and over the bayside community that I represent. I've been working to make sure that my constituents are aware of these proposed changes and to make their objections known before these plans take off. The Trax review of Brisbane Airport flight paths, commissioned by Airservices Australia and released in mid-August, recommends options be considered, including redirecting existing departure routes towards the Redlands. Airservices Australia have now formally accepted these recommendations and are preparing a final decision on the future of Brisbane's flight paths. I've called for more consultation with the Redlands in relation to these proposals, noting that shifting the problem of aircraft noise onto our bayside suburbs is not a fair or evidence based solution. Following my request, Airservices Australia kindly relocated one of their consultation workshops to within my electorate and, although it was held at very short notice, it was one of the best attended. The attendees were very clear in their opposition to these proposed changes. The review process will be ongoing and there will be an array of community consultation to come, but my message will be clear: I will not accept any erosion in the amenity of the Redlands.

I've been accused by Brisbane based activists of trying to drive a wedge between communities. If I am dividing opinion by seeking to have my community consulted and our voice listened to, then so be it. My constituents chose to live in the Redlands for a quieter lifestyle, while inner-city residents chose to live under existing flight paths for more convenience and the hustle and bustle. While local residents are already complaining of more aircraft noise following the adoption of simultaneous opposite-direction parallel runways operations in February, which has resulted in more planes over the bay and the bayside suburbs, it is critical that Redlanders mobilise against these proposals now, rather than wait for decisions to be made over the next 12 months. I've launched a community petition to demonstrate the level of local opposition to these proposals, and I encourage locals to visit my website and lend their support to my campaign. I'll be keeping an extremely close eye on this situation on behalf of my community and will push back strongly against any proposals that are not in the best interests of the Redlands.