JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT
JOINT STATEMENT
Prime Minister
Minister for Transport
T76/ 94 8 December, 1994
NOISE MANAGEMENT INITIATWES AT SYDNEY AIRPORT
Sydney residents worst affected by aircraft noise will have immediate access to
compensation measures under the Federal Government's $ 183.4 million noise
amelioration package.
The package, announced on 1 November, was originally intended to be spread over ten
years with the voluntary acquisition of 112 houses within the 3 0 to 40 Australian Noise
Exposure Forecast ( ANEF) contours and the insulation of 3,500 houses above the
ANEF contour.
Prime Minister, Paul Keating, and the Minister f6r Transport, Laurie Brereton, said
Cabinet had agreed to bring forward the package so that the acquisitions and insulation
will be completed within three years at a cost of around $ 60 million each year.
" Residents in the most noise-affected areas, in the 40-plus ANEF contour, will be
contacted immediately about acquisition of their properties under the Government's
voluntary acquisition program," they said.
The Department of Administrative Services will assist in the early start to the program
to soundproof schools and colleges down to the 25 ANEF with the aim of completing
the necessary works by the end of the first term of the 1995 school year.
" The noise treatment program will be the subject of continuous evaluation to ensure
that its objectives are being met."
Mr Brereton said the cost of the program will be met by a tax on the jet aircraft using
Sydney airport. Legislation to implement the tax will be introduced early in 1995 and
the tax will apply from 1 July, 1995.
Cabinet also approved a number of other measures aimed at tackling the noise
problems" at Sydney Airport. The measures include designated flight paths, penalties
for flight path violation, increased penalties for curfew violation, and a proposal to
introduce slot times for peak periods.
In future, jets taking off to the north will be required to taxi to the southernmost end of
the runway and attain as much height as possible prior to reaching residential areas.
The following attachment, with maps, details the measures approved today.
Media contact: Kate Hannon ( 06) 277 7320
NOISE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES AT SYDNEY AIRPORT
OPERATIONAL MEASURES AT SYDNEY AIRPORT
The Government proposes a number of steps to minimise the number of people
affected by aircraft noise in Sydney.
1. Establishment of designated flight paths
The Civil Aviation Authority ( CAA) has developed new flight paths associated with
instrument approach and departure procedures designed to international standards.
These are designed to confine overflights to the narrowest flight paths in order to
minimise the number of people affected by aircraft noise.
These paths will apply to all jet take-offs and landings given that:
jets produce the most noise; and
to constrain propeller aircraft to the same flight paths would significantly
slow throughput of traffic and constrain airport capacity.
Copies of the new approach and departure paths are attached.
2. Penalties for flight path violation.
The experience since the opening of the parallel runway at Sydney Airport
demonstrates that the previous flight paths allowed aircraft to spread out over wide
areas of Sydney's most densely populated suburbs.
Adherence to the new flight-paths will be closely monitored. New Regulations
under the Air Navigation Act will be introduced to provide a legislative basis for jet
aircraft, which operate outside the tolerances set for the flight paths, to be liable for
prosecution under the Act. The Regulations will provide for substantial financial
penalties for offenders. Corporate operators will face a maximum penalty of
$ 25,000 for each violation. The Regulations will be introduced this year and take
effect as soon as aircraft navigational systems can be programmed to fly the new
flight paths.
3. Requirement for jet aircraft to depart from the southern end of the
main north-south runway ( northerly takeoffs on 34L) and attain as
much height as possible over residential areas
When prevailing winds make it necessary for jet aircraft to take off to the north on
the main north-south runway ( 34L) they will be required to depart from the farthest
point of the southern end of the runway. This will ensure that aircraft are at a
greater height above residential areas on take-off.
Jets will be required to attain as much height as soon as possible after take-off prior
to reaching residential areas.
4. Curfew enforcement
There is to be a stringent enforcement of the curfew arrangements.
The Curfew Regulations under the Air Navigation Act will be amended to provide
for financial penalties for unauthorised operations, rather than the present
administrative penalty whereby the operator can be prevented from using the airport
for a specified period of up to 12 months. This administrative penalty was never
applied. The Regulations will provide for substantial financial penalties for
breaches. Corporate operators will face a maximum penalty of $ 25,000 for each
breach. The Regulations will be in place by Christmas.
Demand management at Sydney Airport
In order to ensure that demand on Sydney Airport matches the capacity of the
airport during peak hours of operation the Government will propose the introduction
of a system of slots for aircraft movements to and from the airport during certain
peak periods of the day. The appropriate mechanism for allocating slots will be
developed in consultation with the airline industry.
6. Reaffirmation of Government Policy on operational noise controls
The Government reaffirms the strict enforcement of the following operational
controls at Sydney Airport:
unless otherwise required on safety or weather grounds all take-offs must be
to the south of the airport over Botany Bay;
no take-offs to the north from the new runway;
the east-west runway will remain available for use when weather conditions
preclude take-offs and landings on the parallel runways for safety reasons;
existing controls on times and locations of ground running operations to be
retained
NOISE TREATMIENT MEASURES
On 1 November 1994 the Government announced a $ 183.4 million package of
measures over 10 years to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on residents around
Sydney Airport. The package includes the voluntary acquisition of homes within the
Australian Noise Exposure Forecast contour ( ANEF) and the insulation of homes
between the 30 and 40 ANEF contour. Schools, colleges, hospitals, child and health
care facilities will be eligible for insulation down to the 25 ANEF contour.
It is now proposed to accelerate this program and have it completed within 3 years
at a cost of around $ 60 million each year. The voluntary acquisition program and
the insulation program for schools and colleges will commence immediately. It is
expected that the school and college insulation program will be completed by the
end of the first term of the new school year.
The Department of Administrative Services will assist in the early commencement
of the noise treatment program.
The cost of the program will be met by a tax on the jet aircraft using Sydney
Airport. Legislation to implement the tax will be introduced in early 1995 and the
tax will apply from 1 July 1995.
MONITORING AND COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
To improve monitoring, information and consultation with residents affected by
aircraft noise the Government will establish a new community consultative
committee to monitor noise abatement and amelioration measures.
SYDNEY WEST AIRPORT
The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the construction of a major
runway at Sydney West Airport and the construction of road linkages between
Sydney West Airport and Sydney Airport ( KSA) by 1998/ 99.
To date the Government has:
expended $ 150 million to acquire the* airport site, purchase forecast noise
affected properties, build local access roads and undertaken preliminary
concept design
committed a further $ 120 million for the building of a 2900 metre runway
which will be capable of accommodating medium haul operations by B747
and B767
commenced an EIS on options for the National Highway between Prestons
and Cecil Park. Construction of the road link will be undertaken at an
approximate cost of $ 200 million to coincide with the opening of the 2900m
runway. commenced a joint Commonwealth/ State engineering study to secure a rail
corridor as a basis for effective rail links between Sydney West Airport,
KSA and the city.
A project team is currently preparing detailed submissions for the Government on
how the airport can be developed to an integrated master plan to provide for
modular development and expansion to meet demand.
SYDNEY AIRPORT JET DEPARTURE FLIGHT PATH
/ RUNWAY 16 LEFT
VISUAL DEPARTURE
I 4l-LIMIT OF NAV1GATIO
TOLERANCE
SNORMAL DEPARTURE TRACK. MA1P941
RUNWAY 16 LEFT VISUAL towards the South East
RUNWAY 34 LEFT INSTRUMENT towards the North
RUNWAY 16 RIGHT INSTRUMENT towards the South
SYDNEY AIRPORT JET INSTRUMENT ARRIVAL FLIGHT PATHS MAP 9412
RUNWAY 16 LEFT AND RIGHT from the North
RUNWAY 34 LEFT AND RIGHT from the South