Local Badgerys Creek airport opponents could represent the Blue Mountains on the main federal government body that will have input into matters like flight paths.
Federal Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman, has nominated representatives from Residents Against Western Sydney Airport (RAWSA) and Blue Mountains Conservation Society as community members on the Forum on Western Sydney Airport (FOWSA).
RAWSA president Peter Dollin and Jon Rickard, a former science teacher at Penrith and Springwood High Schools, will be considered by the urban infrastructure minister for a community representative position.
“There are eight community positions on the forum, however every MP in western Sydney has been asked to nominate two representatives, and the community can also self-nominate,” Ms Templeman said.
“So there will be a number of people vying to be able to have input into this important process.
“This forum is meant to be the key community consultation process for flight path design, so it’s crucial that the Blue Mountains is well represented so we can try and minimise the impacts should this airport actually proceed.”
Ms Templeman said she remained critical of the proposed makeup of FOWSA – which excludes federal MPs.
“The Sydney Airport Community Forum has 11 federal MPs sitting on it... So not only does western Sydney not get a curfew or any restrictions on flights, we also get a big gap in federal MP representation.”
