Page 1422 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 11 May 1994
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Let us look at some of the benefits to Canberra. Obviously it would be a tremendous benefit for Canberrans as far as tourism is concerned. I do not need to highlight the specific benefits in that area. It would affect every aspect of the infrastructure. Just think of the airport services, such as refuellers. Filling up big planes is expensive and a profitable business. Think of the aircraft servicing and maintenance people. It would be likely that if Canberra was an international airport international carriers would use local people to service their aircraft rather than setting up their own bases. There are the airfreight handlers. It has been suggested, as the Chief Minister mentioned yesterday, that Canberra could become a major airfreight handler. There would be benefits for duty-free shops and everything else - the entire infrastructure throughout Canberra, including, of course, the ACT Assembly, who would get their hands on more taxes in one way or another.
I mentioned earlier that we do need to look at a number of major factors, such as airport length. At the moment in Canberra it is 8,500 feet. In Sydney it is 13,000 feet. These things can be done gradually as we get more international passengers coming to Canberra. That is the way to do it. We do not need large outlays of money initially. It can be done over a period and it could work beautifully. As for the types of aircraft which could fly here, a Boeing 727 takes 130 passengers. I mentioned that the Boeing 737, with 110 passengers, can already fly into Canberra. This has been done on a charter basis. The Concorde could fly into Canberra with 100 passengers on unrestricted flights.
Mr Kaine: Is the runway long enough for a Concorde?
MR STEVENSON: Yes, because they get off very rapidly.
Mr Kaine: I am not thinking about getting off; I am thinking about getting on.
MR STEVENSON: They come down and stop rapidly as well. It is not a problem for the Concorde. The 747s can land in Canberra, and have done so. When President Bush was here we had three 747s land at Canberra Airport. They can land and they can take off. The problem is that there is not a large safety margin, so if you have a problem you could have a real problem.
Mr Kaine: And you would have to shift all the runway lighting.
MR STEVENSON: You have to move the runway in a hurry, yes. As I said, 767s can come into Canberra. The question is not whether we have an international airport in Canberra. The only question we need to ask is when. There are benefits to Canberra and to people coming from overseas. Rather than rush into the hurly-burly of Melbourne or Sydney, or all that sun in Queensland, why not come to Canberra, relax for a few days and enjoy the benefits of Canberra? It is like going to the United States. Rather than going to New York, why not go to Albany, where you can relax for a few days while you plan your detailed attack on the big cities? This could be a benefit for people coming from overseas. We could start major tourist campaigns around the world.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Your time has expired.
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