Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee [Part 2], , 2:32:03 to 2:41:12
Inquiry into aircraft emissions, water supply contamination risks in environmental impact statements, and the implementation of landing systems at Townsville.
Topics: Infrastructure, Public safety, Health
Speakers: Senator Richard Colbeck, Peter Curran, Senator Susan McDonald, Senator Glenn Sterle, Unknown Speaker, Interjection, Ms Jacqui O'Dea, Rob Sharp
I want to go back to question I asked at October estimates last year. Uh question on notice SQ 25s 002063, which was in relation to impact of aircraft emissions on water supplies. And in the conversation, uh I was told that there were some international studies available, and the answer to the question on notice referred to chapter 13 of the Western Sydney EIS volume four appendix G of the community health Western Sydney Airport EIS 2016 technical paper 12 volume D airspace aircraft emissions Brisbane new parallel EIS. But when I go [clears throat] to chapter 13 of the Sydney EIS and which is the human health it's um and none of those I have to say I would regard as a as a study. They basically state conclusions, which is what the Sydney EIS does. the water quality, and I'm quoting from the from chapter 13 here, that the water quality health risk assessment found that the potential impacts to Sydney's drinking water supplies at reservoirs at Warragamba and Prospect is unlikely due to their distance from the airport site and low predicted levels of particulates in those locations. So, that's a distance issue. Similarly, the health risk assessment did not find evidence to suggest that the private that private rainwater tanks would be adversely affected by airport operations. Comprehensive surface and ground water baseline data will be collected throughout the construction and operations stage of state uh operation of the stage one development, which is which is what I assume we're going into now. Um to better inform the future assessment of potential water contamination. That says to me you don't actually know. Um so, I'd be very curious to see, firstly, the international studies that you talked about when we discussed it. uh is the and you I'm happy for you to take these on notice for time. Is the health risk assessment referred to here a public document?
>> I'd have to take that on notice in a moment. >> I do recollect the uh quan, uh so, we'll
>> Yep.
>> have to go back to the history.
because I'm still getting references from the community, Carlton Beach in Hobart, referring to this, and it I don't think you've answered my question to provide me with the information that satisfies that question >> because they chapter 13 goes on to say having regard to the identified risks outlined above and that for some pollutants there are no or is no safe defined safe level below which exposure will not result in adverse health effects. The risk assessment includes reference to mitigation and management measures in other chapters of the EIS which will reduce the health risks of the proposed airport. It is expected that following implementation of these measures identified health risks of the stage one development will be reduced. So it says to me that there is a risk there. I want to understand better how to quantify that. I just want to go on to some of the consideration of the flight path for proposal that was considered and then rejected. And I'll put most of these on notice, but there's a couple I just want to ask. Um Airservices published that 39 people fall within the 70 decibel contour of the existing runway 30 short approach at Hobart. A working document released under FOI on the 17th uh 7th of the That doesn't sound right. gives the figure as 315. Just like to understand which is the correct number. Minister King wrote back to me in response to a letter I wrote to her about the decision talking about the change in impact from the implementation of the NAP. Could you quantify what you think your your view is as to what the reduced impact from the implementation of the NAP was?
>> If we can uh revert to that, I'll take it on notice.
>> Thank you.
>> You can do that one, okay.
>> Senator, did you would you like for me to respond to that now or
>> I think for time purposes we're better off taking it on notice so that you can give me a a comprehensive letter and um answer and Senator McDonald can quickly do hers. I'll just take over chairing for a moment and pass to you, Senator McDonald.
>> Thank you very much, uh >> I've just got a couple of quick questions for air services, uh specifically on the Townsville ILS. We've been talking about that over the last few uh estimates and I want to know uh if we are still on track.
>> Senator, thank you. Um uh yes, we are. The update I can give you since the last estimates is the initial schedule indicated that uh approximately 25 months of work um uh was required with a um a completion date uh forecast of March 2028. Uh however, recently Defense have brought forward their timelines uh and we think the new completion date um uh indicates the ILS will return to service uh either late 2027 or very early 2028.
>> is extraordinarily good news. Surprising after a long day. Thank you. So, so we're now looking at end of '27 or very beginning of '28, which as you know I've already highlighted the restrictions of the landing capability at Townsville Airport, uh cyclones, etc. Completely unexpected. I've got [laughter] to I just wasn't >> I wasn't expecting that. >> Wow. >> Uh Newman Newman Airport has 450,000 passenger movements annually. Um I'm wanting to know why the airspace is not controlled airspace.
that's a matter for CASA. >> Uh I'll I'll I'll take that. That's certainly a matter for CASA. Air services provides the services as directed by CASA. And if I were to give you the example recently of of Ballina. implemented an air traffic control tower there.
>> Which one?
>> Uh Ballina. Uh that was following uh an CASA who then directed air services to implement uh the upgraded service. That's that's the model of how it works. So that's really a matter for CASA.
>> Terrific. Okay. I will wait for CASA.
>> CASA, thank you. Thank you very much. All right. Air services, thank you. Excuse me.
>> So with Sorry. Can't get all the time. We can release AMSA. We've got agreement for AMSA to go. But for uh AMSA to come back early in the piece, very early in the piece, next round of estimates in February. Same as Infrastructure Australia who were released by the coalition. Um to get them back early in the piece. It is the view of the senators around the table that we can get this done. So we'll see how we go. So while we're waiting for CASA, I'll go to Senator Shoebridge to kick off on CASA. >> And I'd urge CASA for our answers to be nice and direct. Well, you would think so. Yes. Yeah. And while I CASA's basically in the way, you wouldn't know it though. the questioning you got, but I'd ask that I ask C and inland rail can come and sit in the back of the room after a little