By Sibanengi Dube
Melbourne Airport has repeated its claim of complying with aviation rules, as Brimbank residents’ chorus of condemnation of the giant international aerodrome’s conduct grows louder.
Residents staying closer to the flight paths have been constantly accusing the Airport of subjecting them to health compromising aviation sounds.
But the airport spokesman, Andrew Lund, said their noise levels were within the accepted limits of the Australian aviation rules.
“No.
“Aviation in Australia is highly regulated, and Melbourne Airport operates in strict adherence to all rules and requirements,” said Mr Lund.
In their on-going fight against the development of a third runway, self-styled grouping of residents, n03rdtullarunway, raised concerns over the noise magnitude which they said was already above World health Organisation’s (WHO) accepted decibel level.
However, the Melbourne Airport spokesman opted not to respond to WHO standards but chose to stick to Australian requirement which he said they followed.
He told Star weekly in an exclusive interview that the runways were separated from residential and business areas by a significant land buffer.
The Airport spokesman maintained that the third runway which was causing commotion with Brimbank resident has always been on the Airport plans since 1960 adding that its development will benefit the entire nation.
“Melbourne Airport was specifically designed and built in the 1960s to serve as Victoria’s curfew-free international gateway and operates for the benefit of the entire state.
“The airport was planned to have four runways, and the current “hashtag” configuration has been in place since 1990, including the alignment of the proposed third runway,” said Mr Lund.
Justifying insistence on the development of the $1.9 million third runway, Mr Lund maintained that the Airport was an economic enabler for Victoria adding that terms of its lease with the Federal Government require it to grow by investing in aviation infrastructure.
“Under the terms of its lease with the Federal Government, Melbourne Airport is required to build the infrastructure needed to cater for the growth of aviation and Victoria’s economy.
“Prior to the onset of Covid-19, Melbourne Airport’s existing runways were reaching capacity, and with air traffic now returning to pre-pandemic levels, the third runway is essential to ensure efficient operations and keep delays to a minimum,” said Mr Lund.
Mr Lund described the airport as the ‘largest employer outside Melbourne CBD,’ adding that Brimbank residents were benefiting from job opportunities being created by the airport.
“Melbourne Airport is the largest employment cluster in Victoria outside of the Melbourne CBD and its proximity to Brimbank provides residents with thousands of potential job opportunities close to home,” he said.
He said third runway was essential to enable Melbourne Airport to facilitate economic growth in Victoria.
Airport submitted plans for a third runway in February to Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King for assessment and is waiting for her decision.”
