"...it was government policy to close the site in the medium to long term but he did not say when."
The 'long term' can be a long time...at least as long as the lease that was signed between the current airport operators and the Federal Government - 50 years plus a 49 year option!
"The submission states: "It was evident in the 1950s that Essendon Airport had already been constrained by residential development that had occurred during the early 20th century."
Rubbish. There was very little residential development in the area when the airport first opened. A cursory examination of early airport photos confirms that.