"Canberra faces tough time selling second Sydney airport plan"

Monday, September 1, 2003

Canberra faces tough time selling airport plan
Australia - The Australian Associated Press


CANBERRA, AAP - Canberra faces a tough task selling itself as the solution
to a second Sydney airport and has already failed to convince tourism groups
of the plan. In newspaper advertisements today, Canberra International
Airport promotes itself as a long-term answer to Sydney's overflow air
traffic. Unlike Sydney, Canberra has no curfew and flight paths do not
generally affect residents. But the national capital is still three hours'
drive away from the Sydney hub, and fog has been raised as a possible
problem. Such issues were dismissed by Canberra International's managing
director Stephen Byron. He said many passengers fly through Sydney only to
transfer to other cities and Canberra was well equipped to handle the
capacity and large jets following a $220 million upgrade. The government has
said Sydney is unlikely to need a second airport for another 20 years and
has shelved plans for a second site at Badgerys Creek. A review of Sydney's
aviation needs will be held in 2005. Labor has also dumped Badgerys Creek as
a possible second site and is keeping an open mind on the Canberra proposal.
But the plan has failed to impress the national transport and tourism lobby
group, TTF Australia. Managing director Christopher Brown said Sydney and
Bankstown airports could cope with the current load and the government's
2005 review was appropriate. "Recognising that Sydney Airport and Bankstown
Airport can meet all of Sydney's regional, domestic and international demand
for many years to come, TTF will be an active player in the federal
government's ... review," he said. Mr Byron said Canberra's campaign was
sparked by the ALP canning Badgerys Creek. "Badgerys Creek is off the
agenda, Bankstown is off the agenda, Canberra Airport is the real option,"
he said. "We're an operating airport that doesn't by and large have people
living under the flight path, that doesn't have a curfew and importantly we
do have direct capital city links already." Transport Minister John
Anderson's spokesman said Canberra could still be used as a hub for the east
coast of Australia but there were no plans for a very fast train between
Sydney and the capital. "Canberra airport is an extremely well run and
attractive airport but this is between the airlines and the airport itself,"
the spokesman said. Labor's transport spokesman, Martin Ferguson, was not
against the proposal. "Canberra is something to be considered ... (but) it
could only proceed with proper road and rail infrastructure," he said.
Canberra Airport plans to lobby MPs from both sides of politics.


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