Badgerys Creek Airport
Published on 27 May 2015
With the planning of the airport at Badgerys Creek going full steam ahead, residents that will be impacted by the airport operations in the area should not be forgotten by the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development.
This is not an issue I take lightly.
At Tuesday's Council meeting Council voted to write to the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Mr Warren Truss, seeking a commitment to assist all home owners that are identified through the Environmental Impact Sydney as being impacted by the airport at Badgerys Creek with appropriate funding for noise attenuating measures.
I believe sufficient funding should be provided by the Federal Government to assist home owners with the extra cost and burden of these upgrades, as has been done for residents in various parts of Sydney surrounding the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport.
I will be writing to the Minister requesting an assistance package from this time forward to:
- Provide immediate funding for new homes being built within the impact zone to ensure they are appropriately sound proofed as these residents are currently required to foot the bill themselves; and
- Commit to a funding package for older existing homes that do not have the appropriate soundproofing measures to retrofit their homes, to the same standard that has been provided to residents in the vicinity of the Kingsford Smith Airport. These measures and soundproofing works must be in place before the start of operations at the Badgerys Creek airport.
- Write to neighbouring Mayors seeking support for this funding from the Federal Government to assist impacted residents.
These measures are essential because, unlike Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, this proposal by the Federal Government is a for a 24-hour/seven-day-a-week operation and this expectation was never provided to land owners in the past.
I will also stress to the Minister that I do not support the proposal for a 24 hour a day, seven days a week airport that will affect residents of Fairfield City negatively.
Through this process I would hope to ensure the quality of life of residents in Badgerys Creek is protected, and that residents of Fairfield City receive the financial assistance they deserve as has been extended to other residents throughout greater Sydney.