Protest against parallel runway
By Robyn Marshall
BRISBANE — The peace and quiet of the tree-lined streets and coffee shops of suburban Bulimba were disturbed on February 14, when 4000 people marched down the hill to demonstrate against the construction of a parallel runway at the city's main airport.
The extra runway will bring more aircraft directly over the densely populated southern and western suburbs. According to experts, the plan is badly flawed and may expose passengers to greater risks during certain weather conditions.
The alternative is an extended cross runway that would take aircraft straight out over Moreton Bay and reduce the noise for residents.
A draft master plan for the airport, which included the recommendation for a parallel runway, was submitted in March 1998 by the Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC). The 90-day public consultation resulted in 4000 objections.
On November 23, the BAC resubmitted a slightly revised plan, and it was accepted by the federal government on February 12.
Federal Labor MPs, Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swann, who have been heavily involved in organising the campaign, are calling for an investigation into the way the decision for the parallel runway was made.
Rudd and Swann consistently repeat that they don't know what direction a new runway should take because there is not enough information. They are hedging their bets in case Labor wins government.
Liberal transport minister John Anderson has called for the BAC to prepare a report on alternatives. The BAC has forcefully rejected an extended cross runway in the past. The anti-runway campaign wants a Senate inquiry so as to expose the BAC to public scrutiny.
Although a BAC spokesperson has said an extra runway would not be needed for eight to 10 years, approval of the master plan would allow commercial development on vacant land, leaving the parallel runway as the only option.
The privately owned BAC is opposed to the cross runway because it would require spending large sums of money building into Moreton Bay. Approval by the minister of the master plan would send the price of BAC shares soaring.