Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Minister for Transport and Regional Services) Share this | Hansard source

Taking the last question first, I will follow it up. I am aware of one breach where we are seeking to take action against the airline concerned, but there seem to be some legal difficulties about our capacity to do that. It is a breach, I might add, that causes me quite a deal of concern. I believe the airline have not acted honourably, and if we can find a way to prosecute them we certainly will.

In my time as minister I have only been asked to give one dispensation for Adelaide, and that was so the Port Adelaide footballers could be flown back from Perth on one day rather than having to wait to the next day to fly back, which might have damaged their chances in the grand final. I was told that they needed to do that because Brisbane Lions were disadvantaged in the previous grand final because they had to fly home late, and Port Adelaide, who got the advantage of Brisbane’s disadvantage, did not want the same to happen to them. In the event, I think the Western Australians did the honourable thing and had the game a bit earlier so that so the Port Adelaide footballers did not actually need to break the curfew. But I recall that as one request to break the curfew. However, we were looking at other ways of resolving the issue in that circumstance. Certainly breaches of curfew would be rare, but I am happy to get back to the member with more detail.

I think I have partly answered the two previous questions in my comments in response to other members. The noise contours that are followed in Adelaide are the same as the ones in Sydney. Basically, the same standards have been set at both airports, and insulation has been put in those houses and public buildings that meet the criteria. I am advised that the criteria are the same as those that have applied in other parts of the world where there have been attempts made to insulate properties from aircraft noise. We are not considering any plans to alter those contours. As I mentioned in answer to the honourable member, to do so—to drop them down, say, five decibels or so—would add very substantially to the task involved and extend the levy for perhaps as much as 50 years. That is perhaps a rather large commitment to take on.

Finally, you asked about councils and others getting a role in the development process. I have to say that I have been a bit perturbed that state and local governments have been suggesting that they have no role in the planning process. That is not true. The fact that they think they do not have a role perhaps demonstrates that we need to do more to make the guidelines clear to everyone so that the opportunities for consultation and the way in which it works are in fact effectively known to all of the interested parties. When there is a development in a local government area, it is required and it is an expectation that the airport lessee will consult with the local government and, for that matter, the state government. There have been instances where the states have not bothered to reply. I cannot take responsibility if they do not reply. But I do expect them to be consulted and to have an active opportunity to indicate areas that they think are important that ought to be taken into account in making a decision about whether a project should be agreed to.

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