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

I am very pleased that I can speak on this motion, as I represent a seat that has the entire airport smack bang in the middle of a built-up residential area. Airport and aircraft noise and pollution and airport developments that are taking place all around Australia in major cities are affecting people’s lives on a constant basis. The whole idea is to come up with a good balance that protects people’s wellbeing and allows them to get a decent night’s sleep whilst ensuring the management of viable airports in Australia’s major cities.

The seat of Hindmarsh has an airport right in the middle of the electorate that is surrounded by thousands of residential homes. We have estimated approximately 20,000 homes are affected by aircraft noise or aircraft landing and taking off. There is also the added burden of development that has sprung up all over the airport. Suburbs in my electorate, such as Brooklyn Park, Mile End, Richmond, Cowandilla, Lockleys and Genelg North, constantly hear the movement of aircraft. Every plane that lands at Adelaide Airport takes off and lands in my electorate.

I have lived under the flight path my entire life. In fact, you get quite used to it after a few years. I suppose when you grow up in that environment, you do not take too much notice of it. As years go by, more and more traffic movements are taking place. I recall that once upon a time many years ago we would get a couple of flights a day and we would all run out to the front yard at four o’clock to have a look at the flight that was coming over. This is now constant: every two minutes. I do understand what it is like and certainly feel for people who live around airports.

In Adelaide we had some very active community groups and residential groups. We had the Adelaide Airport Action Group, which I was very pleased to chair many years ago before I was actively involved in politics. This was a group that campaigned and lobbied governments—in fact, it was a Labor government at the time—and continued to lobby into the Howard years for insulation, noise abatement and a curfew. At first the Howard government was not interested at all. We were told to go away and not worry about it. Through the strong actions of those residents, through their persistence and through their many protests and letters to the many transport ministers, they achieved both a curfew and insulation for houses that were affected by the noise.

I am pleased with the government’s response at the moment. There are some good things happening. I am pleased to see the aviation white paper that has come out. It has many good things in it, particularly the proposed committee to deal with complaints and issues. The government is promoting and encouraging consultation between airports and local residents. I am very pleased that this consultation has been having good results in Adelaide, at least as far as I am aware.

We have the Adelaide airport consultative group which meets on a regular basis which includes all the players—airlines, residents groups and councils. We get together every couple of months to discuss the issues that are affecting residents. I regularly take issues up with the consultation committee on behalf of my residents. I must say that Phil Baker, the CEO, and his staff at Adelaide airport do undertake and try to solve every issue that I raise. The way to go is through consultation ensuring that people’s voices are heard, because people do suffer under flight paths. As long as there is consultation where people’s voices are heard and there is an avenue to resolve those complaints, then I think we are on the right track.

There is also the added burden of development occurring on airports, and another type of noise that is coming about. One of my local constituents recently contacted me regarding a warehouse that had been built close to their place with the constant noise coming from it. This warehouse obviously works 24/7—(Time expired)

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