Aircraft noise in Perth is not serious enough to warrant amelioration measures according to the long-awaited Federal Government response to a Senate Inquiry into aircraft noise.
Key recommendations 7, 8 and 9 of the report which call for changes to the controversial ANEF system of noise measurement, a proper review of the November 2008 WA flight path changes under the EPBC act and an insulation scheme for Perth have all been rejected by the Government in its long overdue response tabled in the Federal Parliament.
The Inquiry into the effectiveness of Airservices Australia’s management of aircraft noise was secured after widespread community concern over the implementation of the Western Australian Route Review Project in November 2008.
Mr Irons said the development was bad news for local residents.
“This is a weak response which confirms once and for all that this Government will do nothing to address the aircraft noise problem in Perth” he said.
“The Labor Government says it will not provide noise insulation to Perth residents on the grounds that ANEF contours show noise to be not that bad. I challenge the Minister to come to the electorate of Swan and sit down and listen to the noise in some local homes. It is just as bad as parts of his electorate in Sydney.
“It has long been my view that ANEF should not be used as the standard noise indicator for planning purposes in Australia. It is considered by many, to be outdated and to under-estimate real noise in the community. This is a view held by some in the Minister for Transport’s own Department. The measure clearly under-estimates the extent of the noise problem in Perth yet the Government has used it to deny Perth noise amelioration measures.
Mr Irons said he was also disappointed that the Federal Government had refused to properly examine the November 2008 Perth flight paths changes in accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
“The legislation is clear; the Government should have done an environmental impact assessment before implementing these changes. It has now ruled out ever conducting this assessment. This is an absolute travesty for the people of Perth and a contravention of legislation” he said.
Mr Irons said the Minister for Transport, Anthony Albanese continued to show more concern for the Eastern states than he did for Perth.
“Minister Albanese only last week protected residents at a New South Wales airport from a noisy master plan and he secured taxpayers’ money to insulate a school in his own electorate. Kevin Rudd has been promised a curfew review for Brisbane in the White Paper yet Perth residents continue to be ignored by this Government”.
Mr Irons said he would be considering his options on how to pursue this further in the Federal Parliament.
“I want to reassure the people of Swan that I will continue to take the fight to the Government in the Federal Parliament” he said.
“The Labor Government has been fundamentally dishonest about the way it has handled these changes. It must be held accountable for this.
“We see once again that this eastern state centric Labor Government has no good intentions for Western Australia” he added.