MEDIA RELEASE

December 14, 2000

Greens Say ALP Supports Privatised Airport Option

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The long dormant airport privatisation issue has exploded in Randwick with the news that the federal government will sell Kingsford-Smith Airport (KSA).

The Greens are urging local ALP and Liberal Councillors to oppose privatisation of KSA but ALP Mayor Dominic Sullivan has recently refused to do so.

The Greens further claim that any future second Sydney based airport, such as Badgerys Creek, will also inevitably be privatised.

Greens Councillor Murray Matson elaborated further,

"Under the existing Commonwealth Airports Act 1996, both KSA and any proposed ‘Sydney West Airport’ can be leased to private companies for upto 50 years with options for another 49."

The Greens believe that privatisation of KSA and a second airport in Sydney will promote a long term increase in air traffic. Clr Matson said,

"Privatisation will make a mockery of promises that a Badgerys style second airport will reduce air traffic out of KSA. The driving aim will be to maximize profits by maximizing plane flights.

The Greens point to a further danger that in that the same company may end up running both KSA and Badgerys if the later is ever built. Clr Matson elaborated,

"The existing Airports Act states that one company should be allowed to run both KSA and Badgerys – we may thus see an economic decision to concentrate larger aircraft at KSA to the detriment of Randwick residents."

Last week Randwick Mayor Dominic Sullivan rejected a Greens amendment that would have seen Randwick opposing airport privatisation.

This week Clr Matson sought to put embarrass the Mayor over the issue following the Prime Minister’s announcement,

"Last week ALP Mayor Dominic Sullivan contributed $5000 of Council money to supporting a second airport Sydney but specifically rejected my call that it be contingent on a no private airport option."

"ALP members should be asking why a Randwick Labor Mayor will not fight the Liberals on the issue of privatisation of both the existing airport and any proposed second airport."