David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 23 June 2011:

TomatoExchange, a division of CostaExchange Limited, has a 20 hectare glasshouse located on Elm St, Guyra in northern New South Wales. Between the hours of 6.30am and 6.45am on Monday, 23 May 2011 there was extensive damage to 110 panes of glass in their 72 000 pane glasshouse. The glass was shattered by an unknown cause but it has been determined that the damage was not related to hail or similar weather, a seismic occurrence or human sabotage. The cost of replacing the panes is approximately $110 000.

Given that the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Amberley base is the closest RAAF base to Guyra and the home-base of the F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter, what is the possibility of jet aircraft, effecting a sonic boom, operating in the vicinity of the TomatoExchange at the times specified above.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) There were no Royal Australian Air Force fast jet aircraft airborne during the period 6.30 – 6.45 am on 23 May 2011.

(2) The only fast jet aircraft to take off that day in Queensland or New South Wales were from RAAF Base Williamtown. The first wave departed at 9.00 am and missions were conducted in the local Williamtown training areas, a significant distance from Guyra.