Greens attack: Push for 10pm Brisbane flight curfew

The Greens are using airport noise from government-funded late night flights as a weapon to target inner-city seats from Labor at the upcoming state election.

The Greens are using airport noise as a weapon to target Miles government frontbencher Grace Grace as part of a campaign to wrest inner city seats from Labor at the upcoming state election.

The minor party has gone on the attack over new revelations that the government is subsidising more than 50 late-night flights in and out of Queensland airports through a $100m aviation war chest.

Tourism Minister Michael Healy revealed the extent of the subsidised flights after a question on notice from Greens MP Amy McMahon last week’s estimate hearings in state parliament.

He told the hearings the government’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund bankrolled 54 flights into and out of the state’s airports each week between 10pm and 6am.

The flights represented 48.65 per cent of all late-night flights and 23.68 per cent of all AAIF-supported flights, Mr Healy told estimates.

Brisbane residents rallying outside Brisbane Airport Corporation against fight noise. Pics Tara Croser.

His office has since moved to clarify the figures, saying the AAIF-funded flights accounted for only 12 per cent of all 10pm-6am flights including domestic, freight and helicopter services.

The flights include the daily 1:55am Emirates service to Dubai at Brisbane Airport. Emirates is owned by the UAE government and last year posted over $2 billion in profit.

The Greens and community members have long advocated for a curfew for flights in and out of Brisbane airport between 10pm and 6am.

The party is ramping up the noise issue in the lead-up to the October election where it plans to target seats including McConnel, which neighbours the airport and is held by Ms Grace.

Greens’ McConnel candidate, Holstein Wong, said the party would scrap the $100m aviation fund for “multinational airline corporations” and put the money into public housing.

“Queensland taxpayers are getting fleeced by these big corporations, and now the Greens have revealed that about half of late night flights are taxpayer-funded,” she said.

“If you’re getting woken up at night, then chances are Queensland Labor paid big corporations to make it happen.

“Residents in McConnel and all over Brisbane need and deserve a flight curfew from 10pm to 6am at Brisbane airport. We could make a big start by immediately scrapping the $100m handouts to airline corporations.”

The Greens will use airport noise as a weapon in the upcoming state election.

Based on the 2020 election results, the Greens need a 3.2 per cent swing to take McConnel. The party achieved an 8 per cent swing in council wards overlapping McConnel at this year’s local government elections.

The Greens are also targeting Education Minister Di Farmer’s inner city seat of Bulimba.

Brisbane Airport head of public affairs Henry Tuttiett said only 10 per cent of the hub’s total aircraft movements last year occurred between 10pm and 6am.

“That is equating to 48 movements per night – that is 24 takeoffs and 24 landings,” he said.

“More than 60 per cent of those flights operated over Moreton Bay, further reducing the impact on Brisbane communities.

“Brisbane’s night movements are a mixture of passenger services providing economically-important international connections, vital freight services and charter flights supporting Queensland’s FIFO workforce.

“Of the passenger flights that operate between 10pm and 6am, 49 movements each week are supported by AAIF. That is between three and four flights a night.

“Brisbane Airport is Queensland’s most important transport hub and there’s no doubt the benefits are spread across the city and the State, but we know the burden of aviation is borne locally.

“We acknowledge that for some people, aircraft noise is a genuine problem and we’re working hard to reduce it.”