Western Sydney Airport forum selected

FOWSA will play an important role in the airspace and flight path design process for Western Sydney Airport and will connect the community, the government and the airport developer during construction of the airport. The forum is a key condition in the Western Sydney Airport Plan and will ensure community’s views are taken into account. 

The official members of the forum for the Mountains includes Blue Mountains City Council’s nominee Luke Nicholls, who is the director of city and community outcomes, and Blaxland businesswoman Joanne Bromilow, the Blaxland Chamber of Commerce president and treasurer of the Mountains Combined Chambers.

Despite criticism from Labor MP for Macquarie Susan Templeman, Mayor Mark Greenhill and RAWSA [Residents Against Western Sydney Airport] president Peter Dollin, for her pro-airport stance, Ms Bromilow said she was “excited” by the opportunity and opponents needed to “remove the emotion” from the argument.

“It’s happening whether people like it or not, we are all going to work together to make it achievable,” she said.

Ms Bromilow, who has 16-year-old twins, said she was focused on more local job opportunities.  

“I’d rather them travel 40 minutes than all the way to Botany,” she said.

Ms Bromilow said she would be pushing for a train system to be in place to the airport prior to its opening and will also “be ensuring that the government sticks to the promise of sharing the flight path load”.

Ward 4 Cr Brendan Christie weighed in in support of Ms Bromilow.

“Jo has done amazing work for our area as President of the Blaxland Chamber of Commerce and will be an outstanding advocate for the Blue Mountains on FOWSA. I believe that Jo brings the cool, collected approach that we need to get the best outcome for our community from Badgerys Creek Airport”.

Mayor Mark Greenhill said council’s nominee, Luke Nicholls had carriage of council’s response to the Environmental Impact Statement and had been involved in discussions with Australian government officers about the proposed airport. 

“He is an experienced senior local government officer and city planner having worked at a number of western Sydney councils and as a policy officer for transport matters at the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils. Luke also holds a Masters of Environmental Law.”

Western Sydney University chancellor Professor Peter Shergold will be FOWSA's chair.

Other FOWSA members include: Senator Marise Payne, MP for Macarthur, Dr Mike Freelander, MP for Werriwa, Anne Stanley; MP for Camden, Christopher Patterson, Sydney Metro Airports Bankstown and Camden general manager Mario Bayndrian, Western Sydney Director of the Sydney Business Chamber David Borger, Qantas senior manager of Government Industry and International Affairs, Damian Callachor, CEO of Regional Aviation Association of Australia, Mike Higgins and the Regional Development Australia Sydney executive officer, Bob Germaine, as well as Camden resident Adriana Care and Gordon Henwood, a resident of Mulgoa. 

The first meeting of FOWSA will be held next month.