New airport driven by profits
By Alistair Dickinson
and Rupen Savoulian
SYDNEY — Developers of the Badgerys Creek airport will make big profits, while residents will pay the cost, Kay Vella, a coordinator of the western Sydney anti-airport campaign, told Green Left Weekly.
Badgerys Creek, in Sydney's south-west, is the proposed site of city's second international airport. The Coalition government, like its Labor predecessor, is intent on "fast-tracking" construction of the airport.
A second airport in the Sydney basin has been discussed for the last 20 to 30 years, Vella explained. The issue gained momentum after the federal Labor government chose Badgerys Creek in 1985. At that stage, the plan was for a one-runway airport, handling freight and the overflow from Kingsford-Smith.
The airport has nothing to do with Sydney's growth or the 2000 Olympics, argued Vella. "The Olympics were mentioned as blackmail to make it seem acceptable to the public, but no government would undertake a major infrastructure project like an international, curfew-free airport just to cater for the Olympics, which last three weeks."
While the government has put out colourful brochures projecting massive increases in tourism over the next 20 years, it cannot substantiate these figures, Vella said.
"Badgerys Creek is located in a built-up area. That Badgerys Creek is a long way from nowhere is a lie perpetrated by the former Labor government and magnified by the current Liberal government, which wants to increase Badgerys Creek from an overflow to a full-on international curfew-free airport by 2025, with five or six runways operating."
Vella questioned the need for an airport within the Sydney basin. "Why not locate the airport along the very-fast train line?", she asked, suggesting that it could also be a replacement airport for Kingsford-Smith.
More jobs will be lost than gained by constructing Badgerys Creek, Vella told Green Left Weekly. "There will be little or no relocation to Badgerys Creek, because of the highly skilled nature of the jobs. There will be jobs initially in construction, but a major earth-moving company will come in, bring in their own people, do the job and go.
"The Richmond RAAF base will close. All RAAF-related industries will close, and 10,000 jobs will be lost. Much agricultural work and related infrastructure will go, and families will be displaced because they will no longer be able to farm their land."
Vella fears increased air pollution and traffic congestion. "There is a proposed train line from Glenfield to Badgerys Creek. It will take 200,000-plus residents to pay for it.
"Add the extra estimated 80,000-100,000 vehicles moving to and from the airport, and we have a recipe for a nightmare."
The developers who have speculated in land around Badgerys Creek over the last 15 years will be the big winners, predicted Vella. Liverpool Council will make millions in rates, which is why it broke ranks with the other western Sydney councils to support the airport.
Vella pointed out that there are very wealthy interests who stand to make huge profits from Badgerys Creek. "These are people who are already rich and will become richer. Many were privy to the planning for Badgerys Creek, so they can see the profits to be made.
"There are things in it for wealthy people, but not for the residents."