Greens Bill calls for Brisbane Airport curfew, flight limits

Brisbane Airport would have to abide by a curfew and limits on the number of planes flying over the city, under a Bill to be introduced into federal Parliament today.

A curfew from 10pm to 6am and a limit of 45 flights per hour will be enforced if a Private Member’s Bill to be introduced into Federal Parliament today is passed.

Greens MP Adam Bandt’s Bill is likely to ramp up pressure on the major parties to commit to a curfew and capacity limits — bringing Brisbane into line with Sydney and Adelaide airports.

Brisbane Airport Corporation slammed the move as harmful to the city’s economy, saying it had an “obligation to provide the aviation connections and capacity that the public demands’’.

BAC also pointed out that there already was a “curfew-style’’ noise abatement strategy in place with planes directed over Moreton Bay at night.

The city’s new flightpaths, which became operational after the second runway opened in July 2020, have become a political lightning rod in inner-north and inner-east suburbs and could sway the outcome in two federal seats at this year’s election.

Adam Bandt at Mt Coot-tha in Brisbane’s west, which has been affected by aircraft noise. Picture: Liam Kidston

Last month, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce announced that more planes would be diverted over Moreton Bay, away from residential areas, aircraft would hit higher altitudes at departure and stricter flight path rules would have to be followed as part of a trial to cut noise.

The move was seen as a step to sandbag LNP MP Trevor Evans’ seat of Brisbane and prevent a swing to Labor and the Greens in Griffith, which is held by the ALP’s Terri Butler.

“The Federal Government’s recent announcement does not address the issue of unsustainable flight noise in Brisbane,’’ Mr Bandt said this morning (February 14).

“The Greens will give Labor and the Liberals a chance to vote for something that will actually fix unfair flight noise.

“These are incredibly reasonable and moderate measures that airports around the world have already adopted, including at Sydney Airport.”

“The question Labor and the Liberals must answer is: if it’s good enough for Sydney Airport, why is it not good enough for Brisbane? “

Brisbane's second runway. Picture: Glenn Hunt/Getty Images

Max Chandler-Mather, the Greens candidate for Griffith, said the 45 flights per hour limit would take the city back to pre-pandemic levels.

“BAC wants 110 flights an hour and, in comparison, at the height of the summer holidays in 2019 there were only 40 an hour,’’ he said.

“This Bill also compels the Minister (Mr Joyce) to have a longterm operating plan.

“That will lead to a fairer distribution of flightpaths and distribute noise so one group of residents are not slammed.

“Brisbane Airport Corporation opposes a curfew because they want to maximise their profits, but profits shouldn’t come at the expense of Brisbane residents.”

Noise levels have skyrocketed since the second runway opened in suburbs including New Farm, Bulimba, Balmoral and Morningside, although BAC has insisted they have declined in some other suburbs.

A BAC spokeswoman said they recognised they had a responsibility to minimise noise from future growth, wherever possible.

“Our parallel runway system was designed to do just that,’’ she said.

“We’ve made a very clear commitment that we’ll keep looking for any improvements we can find, and we’ll never stop doing that.

“It is important to highlight that a curfew-style noise abatement measure is already in place for Brisbane’s new runway and has been since it commenced operations.

“Between the hours of 10pm and 6am, aircraft are not permitted to take off or land on the new runway over the community.

“Aircraft need to either operate over the bay (weather dependent) or use the legacy (old) runway.

“It is also important to highlight that Brisbane Airport has the largest noise buffer zone of any capital city airport in Australia, distinguishing it from other major airports such as Sydney, Gold Coast and Adelaide airports.’’

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

She said a night-time curfew could make it noisier for suburbs under the new flight paths as all aircraft movements would be consolidated and increased across both runways between 6am and 10pm.

“As the only 24-hour major international airport on Australia’s east coast, Brisbane Airport is critical to the nation’s international export and trade growth prospects,’’ she said.

A curfew would also affect efficiency of the national aviation network, tourism and even maintenance programs and facilities.

“Early morning flights for fly-in fly-out and business travellers to regional Queensland are also highly important, given the varied and often 24-hour operations of the mining and gas industries,’’ she said.

“The introduction of a curfew would cause significant inconvenience to both business and leisure travellers.’’

Terri Butler (with Opposition leader Anthony Albanese) says Mr Bandt’s Bill will go nowhere. Picture: Brendan Radke

Ms Butler said the Bill was doomed to fail.

“Because of the way the parliament works, Mr Bandt’s Bill won’t go anywhere — as he knows,’’ she said.

“Mr Bandt has moved at least fifteen other Private Member’s Bills in this term alone and none of them have even got to a second reading vote, let alone being passed.’’

Ms Butler said she and her ALP colleagues had instead called on the Government to: state, in non-technical terms, what options were available to reduce noise; implement any measures reasonably available to reduce noise, subject always to safety requirements; establish a strong, independent, permanent Airport Community Forum for Brisbane residents; install another permanent noise monitor at a high elevation in Hawthorne or on the hill at Balmoral.

“Labor colleagues and I have also previously called for a public meeting to be held with all relevant agencies and the Commonwealth government present at the same event, to answer community questions,’’ she said.

“This call was made before the Morrison-Joyce government established their advisory forum. “People seem to be giving that forum a chance — it has recommended a range of measures to mitigate noise.

“The government and its agencies must now move swiftly to implement them.

“Labor will have more to say about our aviation policy closer to the election.’’

David Diamond from Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance. Picture: Annette Dew

BAC has also disputed Brisbane Flightpath Community Alliance calculations that there could be 110 flights an hour over the worst-affected suburbs by about 2035, equivalent to Singapore’s Changi Airport or Hong Kong’s airport.

BFPCA chairman David Diamond said while it supported capacity limits it had not so far put a number on what the maximum should be.

“At the moment there is no protection for Brisbane residents, so we are asking all political parties to support a similar thing (to the Bandt Bill),’’ he said.

He said a longterm operating plan was also vital.

Airservices Australia meanwhile confirmed today it would start trialling new measures to minimise aircraft noise from February 24.

The proposed trials will test different procedures to determine if they have any impact, including allowing planes to arrive and depart over Moreton Bay — when safe.

A 12-month trial to extend the operating hours of this measure to include weekends, between 10pm and 8am (previously 10pm to 6am), will also be conducted.

ASA will also submit a safety case to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in March 2022 for an increased tailwind limit, allowing more aircraft to arrive and depart over the bay.

There will also be a 12-month trial requiring aircraft to use the full-length of the new runway for departures.

Noise monitors located at the runway end, Hamilton, Bulimba, and New Farm will be used to review noise outcomes.