Infrastructure Minister nowhere to be seen

Statements by Members
Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport
House of Representatives
14 August 2024

The residents of Western Sydney have not been impressed with the Albanese Labor government's minister for infrastructure's hoodwinking tactics on our local community. First it was the midnight media releases about flight paths. Then it was ripping millions of dollars from essential road upgrades. Now it is zero consultation with community members about the impacts of Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport flight paths. Last Friday, while a parliamentary Senate hearing was happening in the heart of my electorate, the minister was also in the electorate, but she wasn't facing the people. She was a couple of kilometres down the road launching one of my election commitments of an assistance dog training centre from the 2022 federal election. I didn't get an invite. Minister King, who is from Victoria, came to Penrith and attended the launch of the centre, which coincidentally or not was happening at the exact same time as the Senate hearing on flight path noise that will impact my community.

Thanks to the government's 2023 EIS, we are now the most impacted community, bearing the brunt of the flight paths. I worked so hard to get the hearing to Penrith so local residents could have their say. It's a pity the minister didn't want to join us. Luddenham Progress Association, whose members live within kilometres of the airport, had only one information session—a pop-up on a Sunday in the rain. The EIS got over 8,000 submissions. When is the minister going to stop playing politics with the people in my community?

Hansard: Hansard - House of Representatives 14/08/2024 Parliament of Australia (aph.gov.au)