Airport noise relief as more flights likely to be directed over Moreton Bay

Brisbane’s federal Greens MPs are claiming victory with flights set to be diverted, but say more still needs to be done.

More Brisbane flights are all but certain to be sent away from residential areas and over Moreton Bay, in a win for communities affected by increased noise from the second runway.

Queensland’s three Greens MPs are claiming a win but are continuing to push for a cap on the number of flights and a curfew.

Federal Transport Minister Catherine King’s spokeswoman said the federal government was committed to reducing airport noise, but warned the Greens’ proposal for a “damaging” cap and curfew would increase airfares.

Ms King confirmed in a letter to the Greens that she was prepared to direct Airservices Australia to require as many flights as possible to be sent over the bay, where “weather, safety and traffic levels allow”, but she is awaiting advice from the Brisbane Airspace Advisory Board.

Increasing the use of “simultaneous opposite direction parallel runway operations”, the technical procedure which allows for more flights to be directed over the bay, was a recommendation of the recent review into airport noise and the noise action plan.

Member for Ryan and Greens transport spokeswoman Elizabeth Watson-Brown said the party had secured a significant concession that could reduce the number of flights taking off and landing over Brisbane homes.

Brisbane-based federal Greens MPs Max Chandler-Mather and Elizabeth Watson-Brown

“This concession is a result of not just Greens pressure, but campaigning from thousands of Brisbane residents who have stood up and fought against the greed of Brisbane Airport Corporation,” she said.

Member for Griffith Max Chandler-Mather said, if implemented, it would be the biggest reduction in noise since the opening of the second runway.

But he said the Greens “won’t rest until we’ve won a curfew and cap on flights, because Brisbane deserves the same protections as Sydney”.

Ms King’s spokeswoman said the Government had been consistent in working to manage and minimise noise impacts on the community.

“Members of the Greens have been calling for damaging caps and curfews that reports in The Courier-Mail itself suggest would raise airfares and could slash up to $3 billion from the Queensland economy every year by 2032,” she said.

The spokeswoman said the government was working with Airservices Australia and the community to implement recommendations from the post-implementation review and the noise action plan for Brisbane.

“A key element of this noise plan is more flights over Moreton Bay and fewer flights over Brisbane communities,” she said.