Opinion: Aircraft noise an inevitable by-product of growth

Brisbane can no longer be called a big country town. If we truly are “Australia’s New World City” we claim we are, we must learn to live with a bit of extra noise, writes Shane Rodgers.

As Brisbane moves into the next phase of an unprecedented period of major infrastructure development, we are facing a big test of our ability to embrace the reality of becoming a large, internationally significant city.

We once lamented being a sleepy “large country town” where, according to legend, incoming pilots advised people to set their watches back 10 years.

Today we market Brisbane as “Australia’s New World City” and we have the audacity, international reputation and firepower to host a G20 and, more than likely, an Olympic Games. This is big league stuff.

This big thinking will require us to stop acting like a country town and acting surprised when the trappings of growth come with growing pains and side effects.

We are seeing this already with the rise of community dissent in some pockets of Brisbane over aircraft noise associated with the new runway at Brisbane Airport.

A Qantas plane takes off from Brisbane Airport.

It seems like Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) is on a hiding to nothing on this issue.

A few short years ago it endured an unrelenting media campaign to extend its runway capacity because the severe restrictions on the previous runway configuration made flight timetables unreliable.

The restrictions were also a real handbrake on our ability to promote Brisbane’s connectivity into a world that was becoming more hyperconnected with each passing year (and will again in a post pandemic world).

Now, just seven years later, BAC is facing the same level of media bombardment around the noise issue.

What exactly were we expecting?

New runways change flight paths and create more aircraft noise in some places.

Whatever was said in the minutia of the details, nobody should have been under any illusion that you can build this type of infrastructure and then teach planes to whisper.

If you live in an inner suburb in a city lucky enough to have an airport within 20 minutes of the CBD, noise is part of your life. Airports should make every effort to manage movements in a way to minimise this, but there will be noise. There was a substantial community campaign to warn us all about that.

Frankly, if you have a particular problem with airport noise, or any other noise that comes with living in a busy city, you really should move somewhere quiet.

Short of junking a $1.1 billion asset, it is hard to see any outcome from the current protests that would solve the noise issue to the satisfaction of the loudest protesters.

I personally live in one of the suburbs where aircraft noise has significantly increased, and it genuinely doesn’t bother me.

Most of Queensland's regional airports only link to Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

The aircraft do not seem to fly in the zones when we are mostly asleep and, frankly, there is so much other noise and development going on in the city, most of the time you are flat out hearing the planes above the jackhammers, trucks and constant car engine and train noise.

I fully respect the right of people to complain about noise if the end game is to ensure the airport management (within reason) gives the right balance between logistical needs and respecting the amenity of residents.

However, if the end game is to stifle the opportunity Brisbane has been afforded, we have a problem.

We need to remind ourselves why this new runway was so important.

Prior to its opening (and pre the short-term setbacks of Covid) Brisbane operated 90% of the time as a single runway airport.

Brisbane’s propensity for severe, inclement weather could easily mean flight delays.

With no ability to play catch up, catch up, Brisbane’s problems could reverberate on travellers around the country.

Protesters rallying outside Brisbane Airport Corporation. Picture: Tara Croser

Most of us well know the experience of circling Brisbane in the afternoon waiting for a landing window on busy days.
There is also the obligation to make provision for emergency medical flights. Previously one piece of tarmac (and a small, inadequate cross runway) was doing a lot of work.

Many people don’t realise that, in normal times, the Brisbane to Sydney air route is among the busiest in the world.

There is also a low level of realisation that a large number of Queensland’s regional airports link only to Brisbane.

Restricted Brisbane runway capacity was a handbrake on the whole state.

The runway project was largely driven by growth predictions for Brisbane.

It hard to imagine international investors would have been as enthusiastic about Queens Wharf without the enhanced airport capacity.

Similarly, it is hard to be taken seriously on major events like the Olympic Games without a mature attitude around the need for infrastructure and to manage any downsides from that.

For Brisbane and Queensland businesses to extend their global market reach, they need an airport with the capacity to put us in the major transport league. Otherwise the investment and jobs will just go elsewhere.

We already nobble our investment potential by having a different time zone than other states for much of the year. If it is too hard to fly here, national companies have plenty of other options to locate people and investment.

The projections are that, by 2035, the new airport runway will be responsible for the creation of 7800 new jobs and a $5 billion economic boost for Queensland.

In a state where the economy is still a work in progress, we do not have the luxury to squander opportunities to create high skill, high pay jobs for our children and grandchildren.

If governments feel a political need to react to the noise complaints, this should be concentrated on helping people with particular noise issues to access insulation and other noise mitigation measures.

A debate about airport noise is healthy provided it is mature, realistic and balanced.

Turning back the clock is not an option.

Unless we want to be that big country town again.

Shane Rodgers is the Queensland-based national Chief Operating Officer of peak employer organisation The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group). Brisbane Airport Corporate is a member of Ai Group.