Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about issues that relate to Adelaide Airport. Let me say that I am pleased that the minister is here and has fronted today to answer questions, unlike some of the other ministers who did not turn up. It certainly gives me pleasure that the minister is here so I can ask a few questions which are so important to my electorate. The airport, as the minister would be aware, is smack bang in the middle of the electorate of Hindmarsh. Adelaide Airport is surrounded by approximately 15,000 households, which means that approximately 30,000 residents, if not more, live around the airport, and their lives are impacted immensely by the activities of the airport.

The issues at Adelaide Airport that affect the residents who live by the airport obviously include noise, which the member for Grayndler mentioned earlier. Many live under the flight path, as I do. I have lived there for all my life, in fact. The impact of noise is immense on people, including shiftworkers and young families with small children. One of the questions that I am continuously asked regards the entitlement for insulation. I have written to the minister on many occasions. Many of the people just outside of the area that has been insulated feel that they have been unjustly dealt with. I can understand how they feel that way, when they see that the house across the road from their place is insulated. They miss out, yet the noise impact is exactly the same. Compared with the house across the road, the noise that is heard a few feet or yards away from their house is no different. I can understand why those people feel that they have been hard done by, and I tend to agree with them.

I would like to find out what sort of ongoing process there is to ensure that the impact of noise on these homes that are just outside of the areas that were insulated is constantly being monitored to ensure that those homes will at some stage come into those bands and perhaps be entitled to insulation. The other issue with insulation is that many people feel that there is nowhere to go and complain or to have their issues raised. They come to me, I write to the honourable minister opposite and he politely sends a letter back outlining the rules. But I think a lot of people feel that there is a flaw in process in how insulation was given out and would like their voices heard.

I would like to ask the minister whether there is any dispute resolution process, not only for the people who have quite rightly argued that they need insulation but also for other issues that affect the residents, such as the development that takes place on airport land. We have seen massive development in Adelaide. Many of the residents come to me and say: ‘Why can’t you guys stop it? Why don’t you go to the council and complain on our behalf?’ When I explain to them that it is not in the jurisdiction of local government or the state government but it is ticked off by the federal minister under the master plan, they are horrified that there is no process for them to have input.

You may say that there is process at the beginning stage when the master plan is being drawn up—and that is the case—but, if they do not agree with something that was in the master plan or they believe that the particular development that is taking place is not compatible with the master plan, they feel like there is absolutely no independent body to take up their case, to hear their views and to look into something in an impartial way that does not represent the airport or the minister. They want a totally impartial body.

The minister may not be able to answer my final question off the top of his head. We have a curfew in Adelaide, from 11 pm to 6 am. I would like to know, since the curfew was implemented early in 2000, how many times has the curfew been breached, how many of those breaches have been prosecuted and how many dispensations have been given in the period that the Adelaide curfew has been going? I know that the minister would not have the figures off the top of his head, but I would certainly appreciate an answer on behalf of the residents of Hindmarsh.

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