Lindsay Community Deserves True Consultation on Flight Paths

Last week I raised concerns that my community will not get a fair consultation process on the preliminary flight paths that are set to directly impact the residents of Lindsay.

Sadly, this seems to already be the reality, with my office receiving the list of community flight path consultation locations this morning as set out by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts, with not one being in the Lindsay electorate despite us being the most impacted by the preliminary flight paths. 

Six community information and feedback sessions and three community information stalls will occur in Blacktown, Blaxland, Bringlelly, Horsley Park, Narellan, Parramatta, and Warragamba. The closest consultation is just outside the electorate at Luddenham Markets, which will thankfully capture that community. I hope the Lindsay electorate being missed off the list is an oversight, and I’ll be asking the Department to rectify it.

The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King MP, noted in her 27 June media release on the preliminary flight paths that for additional transparency there is a noise tool for the community to use online. I would like to ask the Minister: “what about directly engaging on the ground with people right across my community?”  

I have always supported Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) for the jobs, infrastructure and opportunities it will bring Western Sydney. Now, the Albanese Labor Government is responsible for the flight path design and consultation process, and I want to ensure our community is engaged in a true consultation process where our concerns are heard. We deserve fair and balanced flight paths. 

Significantly, flights will be both departing and arriving at WSI over the same locations, including Cambridge Park and Llandilo. Flights will also be going above High Street in Penrith, the Nepean River and Emu Heights at between 5,000 to 8,000 feet. The noise impacts are forecast to heavily affect our community in the evening hours, with low altitude flights travelling across the Penrith area, with the hardest hit suburbs with decibel levels at or over 60 to including Twin Creeks, St Marys, Castlereagh, Cranebrook, Llandilo, Werrington, Emu Plains, Claremont Meadows, and Luddenham. 

The community information and feedback sessions are being held to help residents to understand the preliminary flight paths in more detail, and speak with officers from the Department, representing the Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) project. It is extremely important that our local residents are not ignored in this process. 

You can find more information on the community sessions on the Department’s website at: www.wsiflightpaths.gov.au/community-events/