Press Release
Minister for Transport and Minister for Main Roads. Member for Cook.
21 December 1998
QUEENSLAND TAKES CONCERNS OVER BRISBANE AIRPORT MASTFR
PLAN TO CANBERRA
The Queensland Government him told Canberra it cannot give its support to the Brisbane Airport draft master- plan.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Steve, Bredhauer said the Queensland Government viewed the Brisbane Airport as being of strategic and economic importance to South-East Queensland.
But the master plan failed to adequately address community concerns about flight paths and noise associated with the proposed runway options.
"The Government believes the site should be developed. However, the draft master plan does not answer the community concern about the lack of information on flight paths and noise associated from the proposed runway options," Mr Bredhauer said.
Mr Bredhauer said he supported representations made by Federal Member for Griffith Kevin Rudd, whose electorate included many of the suburbs that would be adversely affected by the master plan.
Queensland's concerns have been conveyed to Canberra in a letter from Mr Bredhauer to Federal Transport and Regional Services Minister John Anderson.
Mr Bredhauer said the BACL draft master plan had not made a rigorous and open analysis of community concerns over flight paths and noise.
"Under the draft master plan, BACL clearly indicates a preferred option for a new parallel runway which has not had public input since the late 1970s," he said.
"Given the significance of the noise issue and the future volume of air traffic forecast in the current &aft master plan, noise impacts on the community must be more rigorously addressed in the revised Master Plan," Mr Bredhauer said.
Mr Bredhauer said a review of runway options and operational arrangements should be undertaken because community concerns over environmental impacts of air traffic had increased since the original planning for the airport started in the 1970s.
"These issues should be resolved before the start of any development of major infrastructure proposals associated with a preferred runway option," he said.
Mr Rudd said Mr Bredhauer's position was entirely appropriate because the BACL had failed to address concerns about flight paths, noise impact and the absence of any adequate analysis of alternative runway options.
Mr Rudd has campaigned against aircraft noise in Brisbane over the last five years and has been an active leader of a community movement against the parallel runway since the release of the master plan in March 1998,
While, the State Government endorsed the intent of BACL to develop the airport site in accordance with the growing needs of South-East Queensland, Mr Bredhauer said the Brisbane City Council and other State, Government departments must have a more direct involvement in developing major project proposals on the airport site.
"As well, other retail and commercial development proposed in the Airport City concept appear to go beyond servicing the airport community and its clients," Mr Bredhauer said.
"This is inconsistent with the South-East Queensland Regional Framework for Growth Management, which was developed by the Commonwealth, State Government and local authorities.
"The Queensland Government cannot give its support to the plan. The Government is also deeply concerned about its ability to influence the BACL to respond to the wider needs of the region in the planning of major airport developments," lie said.
FURTHER DETAILS: Andrew Williams, Media Advisor (07) 3237 1944 or 0416 107 962 ... Harry Williams, Senior Media Advisor (07) 3237 1949 or 0407 131 654
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last update 24 Oct 1999
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