Seaeagle109
18th Feb 2014, 05:45
Anybody else read this in the Sydney Morning Herald today?
Fortunately, there are people already pointing out the facts of real life and capital investment.
Labor's support for second airport curfew comes under fire (http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/labors-support-for-second-airport-curfew-comes-under-fire-20140217-32wa2.html)
"Labor's support for a curfew on a second airport at Badgerys Creek is coming under fire from experts and business groups who say it would undermine the project.
NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson announced shadow cabinet support for the long-mooted airport at the weekend, but only if it adopted the 11pm to 6am curfew in force at Sydney's existing airport, Kingsford Smith.
Labor's federal leader, Bill Shorten, then said he considered Badgerys Creek a ''live option'' but only "so long as they've got the propositions around not being 24 hours". (Mr Shorten's office said he was raising the matter of operating hours, not committing to a curfew.)
But an expert on aviation management, Rico Merkert from Sydney University's Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies, said a curfew would limit the second airport's appeal before it was built.
"Why would you move there?" he said. "There wouldn't be much need for an international airline … if you had a curfew.
''Badgerys Creek would benefit a lot from [running 24 hours] - that's what airlines complain about [with] the current airport."
Dr Merkert said a curfew would lessen the airport's appeal among passengers and airlines from markets that find being forced to travel according to the Sydney Airport restrictions problematic, such as those from the Middle East and Asia.
"Every analysis shows that for the airport to be viable, it would need to be 24 hours," said Michelle Rowland, the federal MP for the western Sydney seat of Greenway. Ms Rowland is part of a group of western Sydney MPs in the federal Labor caucus who strongly oppose the airport but might back a curfew compromise.
Business groups say any curfew could negate the airport's benefits.
''If we want the jobs, the roads and the infrastructure, the reality is Badgerys Creek must be curfew-free,'' said the chief executive of the Transport and Tourism Forum, Ken Morrison, adding that industries such as freight needed night-time airport access.
The office of the federal Transport Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Warren Truss, declined to speak about how a second airport might operate until the federal cabinet considers the proposal to build at Badgerys Creek - which is expected within the next month.
But Mr Truss said late last year Sydney needed a 24-hour airport.
The office of opposition transport spokesman Anthony Albanese did not answer questions about the curfew on Monday after Mr Albanese voiced strong bipartisan support for Badgerys Creek on Sunday and promised that Labor would not capitalise politically in seats affected by noise.
Federal Labor is expected to wait until any announcement by the cabinet before making a decision.
But Badgerys Creek resident Pauline Rowe said a 24-hour airport would face strong opposition in the fast-growing suburbs that could fall beneath the path of round-the-clock flights. "There will be uproar.''
Mr Robertson said Badgerys Creek would primarily take the overflow from Kingsford Smith: ''The people of western Sydney must be given a fair deal - that's why it must operate with the same curfew as Kingsford Smith.'' " The SMH 18/2/2014
Fortunately, there are people already pointing out the facts of real life and capital investment.
Labor's support for second airport curfew comes under fire (http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/labors-support-for-second-airport-curfew-comes-under-fire-20140217-32wa2.html)
"Labor's support for a curfew on a second airport at Badgerys Creek is coming under fire from experts and business groups who say it would undermine the project.
NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson announced shadow cabinet support for the long-mooted airport at the weekend, but only if it adopted the 11pm to 6am curfew in force at Sydney's existing airport, Kingsford Smith.
Labor's federal leader, Bill Shorten, then said he considered Badgerys Creek a ''live option'' but only "so long as they've got the propositions around not being 24 hours". (Mr Shorten's office said he was raising the matter of operating hours, not committing to a curfew.)
But an expert on aviation management, Rico Merkert from Sydney University's Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies, said a curfew would limit the second airport's appeal before it was built.
"Why would you move there?" he said. "There wouldn't be much need for an international airline … if you had a curfew.
''Badgerys Creek would benefit a lot from [running 24 hours] - that's what airlines complain about [with] the current airport."
Dr Merkert said a curfew would lessen the airport's appeal among passengers and airlines from markets that find being forced to travel according to the Sydney Airport restrictions problematic, such as those from the Middle East and Asia.
"Every analysis shows that for the airport to be viable, it would need to be 24 hours," said Michelle Rowland, the federal MP for the western Sydney seat of Greenway. Ms Rowland is part of a group of western Sydney MPs in the federal Labor caucus who strongly oppose the airport but might back a curfew compromise.
Business groups say any curfew could negate the airport's benefits.
''If we want the jobs, the roads and the infrastructure, the reality is Badgerys Creek must be curfew-free,'' said the chief executive of the Transport and Tourism Forum, Ken Morrison, adding that industries such as freight needed night-time airport access.
The office of the federal Transport Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Warren Truss, declined to speak about how a second airport might operate until the federal cabinet considers the proposal to build at Badgerys Creek - which is expected within the next month.
But Mr Truss said late last year Sydney needed a 24-hour airport.
The office of opposition transport spokesman Anthony Albanese did not answer questions about the curfew on Monday after Mr Albanese voiced strong bipartisan support for Badgerys Creek on Sunday and promised that Labor would not capitalise politically in seats affected by noise.
Federal Labor is expected to wait until any announcement by the cabinet before making a decision.
But Badgerys Creek resident Pauline Rowe said a 24-hour airport would face strong opposition in the fast-growing suburbs that could fall beneath the path of round-the-clock flights. "There will be uproar.''
Mr Robertson said Badgerys Creek would primarily take the overflow from Kingsford Smith: ''The people of western Sydney must be given a fair deal - that's why it must operate with the same curfew as Kingsford Smith.'' " The SMH 18/2/2014