Page 6016 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 8 December 2010
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tripartisan support in relation to the issues around the development of south Tralee and some of the consequences which we have now all alluded to in relation to this.
The government have also, through the work that we have done with the airport and the commonwealth in relation to noise and noise abatement, taken the position that we will not support the imposition of a curfew. We believe that there is no objective evidence that suggests that that is necessary or appropriate. We will not support a curfew.
An issue of some concern to me in the motion was Mr Rattenbury’s proposal that the government should move to establish a commission. I believe that there is greater opportunity for coordination in relation to cross-border issues. I am more than happy to investigate that and to report back to the Assembly. At that this stage, I believe that it would be premature to commit to a commission, but it is work that I would be prepared and happy to scope. To that extent, I have circulated amendments around the issue of the curfew and the issue of a commission, and I will later seek leave to move those.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (8.12): For a long time I have advocated that there is absolutely no need for noise sharing that will affect the people of Brindabella and, more particularly, the people of Tuggeranong. It is not there now; there is no need for it ever to be even considered to be shared with the people of Canberra. It is about time, instead of just talking about it, that something occurred that actually stopped it. The best way to stop the noise sharing that will inevitably occur is to enshrine it in legislation.
As Mr Seselja pointed out, it is not just the people of Tuggeranong. I know people in Campbell, in Downer and in the inner north who are concerned are about the noise. I know people in Gungahlin who are concerned about the noise. The approach put forward by the Leader of the Opposition today is the only approach that will be effective in stopping the sharing of noise. If we do not legislate for it, if we do not make sure that we do it before anything is built anywhere inside the existing noise corridor, then ultimately the people of Canberra will carry some of this burden, and there is absolutely no reason for that occur.
I live in Chisholm. I am quite close to the flight path. I am right on the eastern side of Tuggeranong, as are many thousands of residents in Theodore, in Calwell, in Richardson, in Gowrie, in Gilmore, in Macarthur and in Fadden. The only noise any of us actually enjoy hearing—I quite enjoy hearing it—is SouthCare, because I know they are carrying out an essential service, a very fulfilling service, and they should continue to do so out of their airbase. But that is the only aircraft noise that we need over southern Canberra.
This has been talked about for some years, as the Chief Minister said. Indeed, let us give credit where credit is due: the Chief Minister has tried for several years, and the Chief Minister has failed. You can add it to his litany of writing letters and dealing with the commonwealth on Constitution Avenue, writing letters to the commonwealth on the Beijing torch relay, writing letters and dealing with the commonwealth in seeking funding for things like the convention centre or the scenery of Canberra.
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