Russell Matheson (Macarthur, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to represent the people of Macarthur and communicate their concerns over the government's proposal to build a second Sydney airport at Badgerys Creek. Badgerys Creek is situated in my electorate, and there are many neighbouring suburbs in close proximity to the proposed flight zone for this airport. As the voice of Macarthur, I would like to reaffirm my opposition to a second airport at Badgerys Creek on behalf of my constituents. As one can imagine, the proposed development of a second international airport in the vicinity of a developing residential area has the potential to significantly alter the amenity and quality of life of all residents in Macarthur, as well as in the greater Western Sydney region.

Whilst the proposed airport at Badgerys Creek is anticipated by advocates to deliver social and economic benefits to Western Sydney, we are yet to see details outlining the scale of the project or the economic, environmental and operational impacts it will have on the region. Residents of Macarthur have many questions for the government, but they have not yet been provided with adequate answers or details.

A key issue for Macarthur residents is whether the airport will contribute to growth in local employment, as many advocates have promised. I am all for more jobs, but there is little or no detail on exactly what jobs will be created and where they will be located. So, I ask the government: how realistic is this forecast and what jobs does it guarantee for Macarthur residents? An analysis prepared by Deloitte Access Economics for the NSW Business Chamber forecast that a Western Sydney airport would generate close to an additional 30,000 for the Sydney region overall. However, when these projected figures are put in perspective, we are talking about 30,000 jobs over 40 years, and that is not even 1,000 jobs a year.

Infrastructure is another major concern highlighted by my constituents. The good people of Macarthur want to know how the government plans to deal with and fund pretty much non-existent road and rail infrastructure that south-western and Western Sydney will need to cope with a second Sydney airport. If infrastructure is not executed in an effective and timely manner, there is the potential to severely disrupt the local and regional economy, business productivity and everyday lives of people in south-west Sydney and Macarthur.

Another key question raised by my electorate is how the government plans to regulate noise levels, as flight paths will affect residential areas in various directions in the region. Of the three runway alignment options suggested in the 1990s, I believe it is only option A—two parallel runways on a north-east access—that would have the least impact on the amenity of local residents. This issue was raised by landowners with previous state Labor governments, when land was being released for urban development within the south-west growth centre. As I have done before, I call for the Western Sydney Airport Alliance, the group that has been campaigning forcefully for an airport, to be honest with my community about the other two runway options, which would have a much greater impact for Macarthur residents. It is critical that we look into the serious impacts the airport would have on the quality of the life of those residents moving to the south-west growth centre, particularly in areas such as Oran Park, Gregory Hills, Harrington Grove, Harrington Park and East Leppington. It will be interesting to see any proposed business case to prove the sustainability of a second Sydney airport. We still do not know if it is going to be privately owned or a public-private entity.

Macarthur residents are seriously concerned about the long-term operational viability of an airport located outside the Sydney CBD. Unlike Sydney's current airport, Badgerys Creek is not an accessible location for tourists and business people, or a location that provides for safe and quiet departures. Before spending billions of dollars on a second airport, I urge the government to seriously review and update Sydney airport's maximum operating capacity. Sydney airport currently operates with a number of artificial, government-imposed restrictions that prevent it from maximising or even operating to its full capacity, and these restrictions have undergone little or no reform since 1997 when first implemented. The approved aircraft list has not been up dated since 2005, and since then many quieter, new generation aircraft have entered the market but cannot be used. Data provided by Sydney Airport Corporation show that with a slight aircraft movement and slot management reform Sydney airport would be able to significantly improve operational performance and increase its ability to maximise noise sharing opportunities.

At this stage a decision has not been made, but I do hope that the government will take the concerns of my electorate seriously. I commend and welcome the recent move by Prime Minister Abbott to assemble federal Western Sydney MPs on a special committee. This will allow us to give advice on the potential impacts that an airport at Badgerys Creek will have on our electorates. It will also allow us to report the concerns of our constituents to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and, ideally, gain some understanding of what will be proposed for Badgerys Creek airport. It is time to provide my community with the details that have been lacking from this proposal. There are livelihoods at stake, and the people of Macarthur deserve some answers.