Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—The government opposes this motion by Senator Back because not only is it poorly conceived but in addition Airservices Australia has a legal requirement to place safety as its most important consideration and any assessment of Airservices performance with regard to managing aircraft noise needs to be included within this context.

The primacy of safety is established in Airservices legislation and has always been the key expectation held by members of the public when they fly. Subject to safety being the most important consideration, Airservices has a second legal obligation to protect the environment from the impact of aviation as far as is practicable. This responsibility is undertaken in conjunction with requirements above the legislation such as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. However, there is no requirement for Airservices to have or implement a formalised national noise management strategy as the motion assumes nor does any such strategy exist.

Traditionally and consistent with legislation and ministerial requirements, Airservices provides a national noise complaints service and works through established airport community forums to provide information on aircraft noise issues at a local level. Also as a guiding principle Airservices, wherever possible, does attempt to minimise aircraft noise impacts and distribute them equitably. Consultation by the aviation industry and government agencies is being addressed in the aviation white paper, which is scheduled to be released before the end of this year. This matter and the needs of the community are therefore already being addressed at the national level by this government.

Question agreed to.