Residents’ group blasts move to remove feedback as Melbourne Airport gets ready for major expansion

THE community’s chance to air concerns over Melbourne Airport’s expansion plans before an advisory board has been taken off them.

Community Aviation Consultative Group (CACG) meetings will no longer have a public Q and A. Picture: Channel 7

THE community’s chance to air concerns over Melbourne Airport’s expansion plans before an advisory board has been taken off them.

Community Aviation Consultative Group (CACG) meetings, made up of key industry stakeholders, will no longer have a public Q and A component. But in its place, the airport will increase the number of Melbourne Airport community forums.

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Hume Residents Airport Action Group secretary Frank Rivoli said it was “outrageous” to have the quarterly CACG meetings without public feedback, especially given the major expansion the airport was set to undergo.

“All of a sudden they have come up with this new format,” Mr Rivoli said.

“It lacks transparency and residents should have the right to be there and raise questions.”

Mr Rivoli said up to 40 residents attended the meetings, which had always been civil and productive.

But Melbourne Airport spokesman Grant Smith said CACG members agreed that the Q and A section would be better served through community forums.

The move comes as public consultation on the draft Melbourne Airport Master Plan and draft Major Development Plan for a third runway will be held from the middle of this year and residents will have up to 60 business days to respond.

The plans include proposals to expand the airport’s north-south runway to 4500m, lengthen the east-west runway to 3000m and a new east/west runway. “Residents will be presented with an abundance of technical documents and are expected to make informed responses in a short period of time,” Mr Rivoli said.

He said if the proposed third runway became operational, residents in Gladstone Park, Westmeadows and Broadmeadows would notice increased noise and pollution and sleep disruption.