Badgerys Creek airport: Majority of western Sydney residents are on board, study shows
EXCLUSIVE: AN overwhelming number of western Sydney residents have backed the second airport at Badgerys Creek Creek and its economic boost.
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AN overwhelming number of western Sydney residents have backed the second airport at Badgery’sCreek believing the economic boost for the region will far outweigh any negative impacts.
A major study conducted by the Department of Infrastructure just prior to the election, and obtained by The Daily Telegraph, has revealed widespread support across western Sydney suburbs, despite fierce local campaigns to turn people against it.
Only 10 per cent of all residents across the entire western Sydney region remain opposed to what will be the largest infrastructure project to undertaken in Australia for decades.
The study marks a significant reversal of attitudes toward a western Sydney airport since it was first killed off under the Howard government over fears it would be electoral suicide.
People in northwest suburbs including the Blue Mountains, Penrith and Blacktown were most in favour with almost two thirds claiming to support it, with around a quarter remaining neutral.
The latest quantitative research conducted by the Department in April this year even suggests an increase in support for the project since the first studies were undertaken in November 2014.
Half of all people living in and around the airport believe it will be positive for economic growth and employment with only 11 per cent believing it would have an overall negative impact for the region.
“The majority continue to be in favour of (57 per cent) or neutral towards (25 per cent) the proposed airport,” the report said.
“The percentage in favour has varied from 54 per cent at the benchmark survey in November 2014 to a peak of 61 per cent in December 2015.
“The percentage opposed to the development (12 per cent) has also remained relatively stable across all four surveys.
“This stability is particularly remarkable considering local media coverage of the draft Airport Plan and draft EIS around the time of its release and during the public exhibition period from October to December 2015.
“As further information has been released about the project, sentiment for or against the proposed airport has largely remained the same.”
In an opinion piece published today in The Daily Telegraph, Minister for Urban Infrastructure Paul Fletcher said western Sydney would be the country’s third largest city if it stood alone and an airport was critical for its economic and employment growth.
“In twenty years’ time there will be another million people living in Western Sydney,” he said.
“When Western Sydney Airport opens in the mid-2020s, for around two million people it will be closer and more convenient than Kingsford Smith Airport at Mascot.
“Just as important, Western Sydney Airport will be a jobs magnet.
“By the early 2030s, there will be around 9,000 direct jobs at the airport — building on the 15,000 jobs generated over the period while the airport and surrounding roads are constructed.
“Today, Western Sydney has a jobs deficit: nearly one third of people who live in Western Sydney travel to other parts of Sydney for work. Western Sydney Airport will make a big difference by stimulating many thousands of local jobs.
“The construction phase will bring an initial boost to the region’s economy. Under the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan there will be $3.6 billion worth of road construction, for example building a new M12 to run from the M7 to the new airport.
“Construction of the airport will separately pump $1.9 billion into the Western Sydney economy.”
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