Given that it was a joint report, albeit agreed to by the previous state government then clearly the NSW Government should have been represented by The Hon. Brad Hazzard BA, DipEd, LLB(NSW), LLM(Syd) MP, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Minister Assisting the Premier on Infrastructure NSW.
It was disappointing to have such a definitive (and defiant) position was adopted upfront -
"the curfew and the cap at Sydney Airport will be maintained".
Minister Albanese should have more clearly emphasised that the current Labor party platform states "will maintain the cap and curfew at Kingsford Smith Airport" and it was this platform that the ALP took to the 2010 election.
One of the key issues at the moment is that Minister Albanese has distorted the application of the cap. Legislation clearly indicates scheduled movements not actual movements, that is, Airport Coordination Australia (ACA) allocates no more than 80 planned movements in any 60 minute period (checked at 15 minute intervals). This has been changed by Minister Albanese to
actual movements (vs scheduled movements) and the airport has introduced measures to count aircraft and at times, hold aircraft at the holding point, that is, not permit an aircraft to get airborne if the 80 figure would be exceeded.
Now you've been the Federal Transport Minister for over four years now. As the Member for Grayndler, would you have wanted to have made more progress on locking in a second airport by now? Did you think your constituents would have wanted you to?
Perhaps the reporter should have asked
"You have been the Member for Grayndler for 16 years and the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport for 4 years, surely, there is a conflict of interest whereby you continue to place the interests of your local constituency ahead of the National interest."