Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

When debate was interrupted earlier today, I was talking about the Airports Amendment Bill 2015, which we have before us now. I was talking about the big promises on jobs associated with Badgerys Creek airport. I relayed how the Prime Minister promised that that airport will deliver 60,000 jobs. There is no time frame for that, but the promise is out there and it has been repeated many times. Then we have the New South Wales Business Chamber promising 30,000 jobs by 2050. That 30,000 figure is already half of the figure touted by the Prime Minister and reported in the media; however, it relies on the assumption that passenger movements are significantly higher than even the most generous predictions. A more realistic scenario, which was also developed by the New South Wales Business Chamber but this time relying on passenger movements estimated by the federal government's joint study into aviation capacity, puts the job creation figures at 10,000 by 2040. It is quite clear that the Prime Minister and the business lobby have inflated job creation figures to boost support for Badgerys Creek. Without a time line, without a business case and without a contract, any job creation figures touted by the government must be taken with a large grain of salt. This is clearly very important because the jobs issue is something that is very critical to the people of Western Sydney—and we start to see how considerably they have been misled, sadly, by both the Liberal and National parties and the Labor Party.

The issue of a curfew is also highly relevant to the business case behind Badgerys Creek. It has been stated many times that Badgerys Creek will only be viable when there are 24/7 operations, but this would expose residents in Western Sydney to aircraft noise that Sydneysiders living close to Sydney Airport at the Kingsford Smith site are protected from. The infrastructure minister ruled out a curfew just last month, further evidence that the community is ignored in order to protect the interests of the private corporations lining up to make a nice profit out of the construction of a publicly subsidised supplementary airport. How can the Liberal-National government argue that the residents of Western Sydney should be subjected to a 24/7 airport when residents in the inner west and the inner city benefit from a curfew at Kingsford Smith airport? While it is true that much of the land around Badgerys Creek is yet to be developed, that certainly will not be the case in 2025, when the airport is allegedly going to be first operational, or in 2035, when it has been operating for a decade. It makes more sense to create policy around what Badgerys Creek will look like in 20 years, not what it looks like now.

It has also been said that Badgerys Creek will reduce aircraft noise associated with Kingsford Smith airport. It is far more likely that the creation of a supplementary airport at Badgerys Creek will increase aircraft noise at Kingsford Smith. Badgerys Creek is expected to be a smaller airport with less hangar space and a smaller runway, similar to Avalon Airport in Melbourne. Like at Avalon, this means that Badgerys Creek will soak up demand for smaller regional flights, leaving more arrival and departure slots open at Mascot for large international jets. This means more aircraft noise, not less. More noise pollution for the locals is certainly not what we want.

Despite the fact that the leadership of the Labor Party and the coalition are on a unity ticket when it comes to Badgerys Creek, local Labor and Liberal MPs around the proposed airport site have raised significant concerns. Last year, Chifley Labor MP Ed Husic said:

I have maintained an unwavering position against an airport at Badgerys Creek for 15 years.

He is certainly spot on. He further said:

I remain firmly of the view this airport will adversely affect the quality of life of the people of western Sydney and I won't be changing my position until I—and more importantly my constituents—are totally convinced it is in their best interests.

Another quote:

There must be detailed discussion and consultation with the community on any proposal for an airport the equivalent size of Brisbane's and to date this has not happened.

I agree with much of what the member for Chifley has said and it is disappointing that the leadership of his party has run roughshod over his concerns to back the Abbott government's proposal fully. As recently as last month, the member for Chifley was, rightly, attacking the Abbott government for not taking its proposal for an airport at Badgerys Creek to an election and for failing to implement a curfew. Again, these are absolutely valid points and it is a shame they have been ignored by the Labor Party leadership and the shadow infrastructure minister, Anthony Albanese.

The shadow Treasurer and member for McMahon, Chris Bowen, is also opposed to the operation of an airport at Badgerys Creek without a curfew, again putting him at odds with Mr Albanese. The Labor members for Parramatta, Greenway and Werriwa are also on the record opposing a 24/7 airport at Badgerys Creek. The member for Blaxland, Jason Clare, has stated publicly that any new airport at Badgerys Creek should be serviced with a rail link, not just road links. The government has already ruled out a rail link when Badgerys Creek becomes operational. It is simply extraordinary that the concerns of all these local Labor MPs have been ignored by Mr Albanese in his eagerness to support the Prime Minister's proposal for a 24/7 operation at Badgerys Creek. It is not just local Labor MPs who have spoken out against this proposal; many Liberal MPs have done so also. The member for Lindsay, Fiona Scott, has strongly opposed the operation of a 24/7 airport at Badgerys Creek.

While the Abbott government is currently pursuing the construction of an airport at Badgerys Creek, the Greens believe that, at an absolute minimum, an environmental impact assessment should be undertaken as soon as possible so the community is fully aware of its impacts. I will be moving a Greens amendment to the bill to clarify that, if Badgerys Creek airport is not constructed, a completed environmental impact statement for this location cannot be used as a substitute for an environmental impact statement for any other future airport location. The Greens do not oppose this bill, but we do believe it is really important that this amendment is adopted.