Transcript - 2GB Drive with Chris O'Keefe

MELISSA MCINTOSH MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR ENERGY AFFORABILITY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR WESTERN SYDNEY
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR LINDSAY

Thursday, 7 November 2024

Subject: Western Sydney International Airport; flight paths.

2GB Drive with Chris O’Keefe

Chris O'Keefe

Melissa McIntosh, the Federal Member for Lindsay, is on the line for us. Melissa, thank you for your time.

Melissa McIntosh

Thanks for having me on, Chris.

Chris O’Keefe

So, what does it tell us today – the EIS?

Melissa McIntosh

It tells us that the Infrastructure Minister's trying to hoodwink Western Sydney again with her usual underhanded Labor tactics. She released this this morning after the US election when she probably thought no one was paying attention. And the reason why this is important is because there was over 8,400 submissions to the draft EIS which she released under the cover of darkness in midnight a few months ago. But it doesn't look like she's taken into consideration any of the submissions, particularly from the most impacted community, which is my community. Yet flight paths have been moved from her Labor colleagues electorate. So, we're really asking for answers from the Minister.

Chris O’Keefe

Look, I understand you're angry and I know the politics of it, but we'll just leave the politics just aside for a second because I think this information is important for people. So, you're saying that in Macquarie, which is the Blue Mountains, the flight paths have been moved somewhat and instead it will go straight over sort of Penrith, St Clair, St Marys area.

Melissa McIntosh

The St Marys Penrith area is the most impacted area. 220 flights a day, 18 different flight paths. The issue that I have with this is that it is political, Chris. It is every bit about politics because there's only one community that has had any shift in flight paths and that is the Labor seat of Macquarie. We are really, really asking the Minister just to give us fair and balanced flight paths. People actually support the airport in Western Sydney for the jobs it will bring, for the opportunities it will bring our kids. It's not about that. It's about flight paths being fair and communities being listened to. But it doesn't look like Catherine King cares about Western Sydney at all.

Chris O’Keefe

How sure are you that it's political?

Melissa McIntosh

Well, when you have 8,400 submissions and none of those submissions have been considered. We have no changes yet. There's been a change only to one community. It really is thinking of politics. Some of the things we are.

Chris O’Keefe

Sorry, how do you come to that conclusion?

Melissa McIntosh

Because there's been no other changes anywhere else except for over a Labor electorate and there's been very, very considered submissions. So, there's around 90 homes that will have some form of noise mitigation within a zone if the home is out that

Chris O’Keefe

Where is that?

Melissa McIntosh

They are around the Twin Creeks area in the immediate vicinity of the airport. But if you're out of that zone and you still have that same amount of noise impact, you don't get any noise mitigation. So, we asked the Minister to consider that in the EIS, but it seems to be there's thousands of pages in this EIS. We'll have to look through all of it. We only got it today, but it looks like there'll be no changes there. It looks like there'll be no changes to any other community except for that one I just mentioned.

Chris O’Keefe

In the Hawkesbury?

Melissa McIntosh

In the Blue Mountains. Okay, so the communities of Emu Plains, of Penrith and all across Western Sydney will be bearing the brunt of these flight paths.

Chris O’Keefe

Alright, Melissa, I appreciate you coming on.