A second airport for Sydney is “necessary” but decisions made in relation to it should take into account resident concerns, according to federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.
Mr Shorten addressed a full house at a meeting held at Glenmore Park Youth Centre last Saturday, February 6, emceed by the Labor candidate for Lindsay, Emma Husar.
Members of the audience asked questions on everything from superannuation to schools and the GST, however it was the proposed Western Sydney Airport that had local emotions running high.
“I understand that people are concerned [about the airport],” Mr Shorten told the crowd in response to a question from the audience.
“I think a second airport for Sydney is necessary ...”
But Mr Shorten was unable to finish the sentence as audience members booed and shouted, “No” and “Not in the Sydney basin”.
“If you’re living under a flight path you would be concerned,” he said, before again being interrupted by the crowd.
“I have an electorate near an airport so I know what it’s like to live near and under flight paths,” he said.
“You can be made all the promises in the world, but the people making the promises don’t tend to live under the flight path.”
Mr Shorten said issues such as the promise of jobs and infrastructure for the new airport had to be scrutinised and people’s concerns heard.
“The western Sydney MPs and future MPs are very clear about the concerns of residents and that will be a large factor in consideration of what we do, because we want to represent western Sydney,” Mr Shorten said.
But Mr Shorten admitted Labor had an uphill battle ahead of it in the polls this year.
“Labor are the underdogs in this election, but we also know there are millions of people … who need the sort of values in government that only a Labor government can bring,” he said.
Chifley MP Ed Husic delivered a vote of thanks to Mr Shorten and his wife Chloe Bryce for attending on the day, and Ms Husar said the meeting had been a big success.
“We had a bigger than expected turn out with lots of community members out to have their voices heard on things that matter to them,” she told the Gazette.
Issues surrounding the Western Sydney Airport had been among the biggest concerns to locals, Ms Husar said.
“They absolutely do not support a 24-hour airport,” she said.
“The EIS is a very important thing around Badgerys Creek, and we need to ensure we are doing the right thing by residents and the community.
“I have had a lot of discussion, I have spoken at length with Bill about what the airport could be or would be, and how we can best meet the needs of the community about that.”