Bairnsdale airport upgrade at risk of losing millions in federal funding

A major runway expansion at Victoria’s second busiest medical transfer airport is under threat amid concerns for native vegetation.

An airport critical to the Black Summer fire recovery efforts is at risk of losing millions in federal funding for vital upgrades due to green tape.

The Bairnsdale Airport needs to extend its runway to cater for the increasing size of aircraft providing medical transfers and emergency services to the East Gippsland region.

The East Gippsland Shire Council in 2022 secured $10m under the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program, which requires the projects to be completed by 31 March, 2025.

But work on the extension, which is expected to take up to six months, has not begun because it is yet to receive environmental approvals due to native vegetation.

Defence, Search and Rescue Aircraft and evacuees transiting Bairnsdale Airport.

East Gippsland Shire Council Mayor John White said the environmental assessment requirements under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act had “caused delays”.

Mr White said it was seeking to ensure all funding remained available as it navigated “these challenges” and the project was completed.

“Bairnsdale airport upgrade is a priority for us because it is vital to our community’s safety and emergency response capabilities,” he said.

“We are working closely with federal and state agencies to secure the approvals and provide offsets needed.”

Mr White said the council had advocated for a review of the Act because projects critical for public safety, such as the runway upgrade, should receive exemptions.

Nationals MP Darren Chester. Picture: Gary Ramage

Gippsland MP Darren Chester said green and red tape was choking the Black Summer bushfire recovery process, with ratepayers forced to pay millions of dollars in extra costs to buy extra land to protect native grasses at the airport.

Mr Chester warned that the council may lose the funding unless the government agrees to extend the grant deadline.

“As the Black Summer crisis unfolded, the aerodrome was critical for the response and immediate recovery effort with fixed wing aircraft and helicopters from emergency services and the Australian Defence Force providing vital services,” Mr Chester said.

“It’s another bizarre example of excessive regulation putting lives at risk in regional Australia.”

Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister. Picture: Martin Ollman

Gippsland Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Associated Native Grassland, which is in the area, was listed as critically endangered in 2009.

A spokeswoman for federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said the Department had worked closely with the council since it lodged the project in 2024 to ensure a “timely assessment”.

“This project has been required to follow the same processes as any other project under national environment law,” she said.

“These laws aren’t new, they were created by John Howard.”

A National Emergency Management Agency spokesperson said it was considering options to support the project to completion.

“The Australian government appreciates the importance of the Bairnsdale airport upgrade project to communities in Gippsland, and understand the challenges that have arisen during this particular project,” the spokesperson said.

The council received almost $2m in 2023 but did not has told officials it may need a further 24 months to complete the works.

More than 500 projects that support community recovery and resilience following the devastating Black Summer bushfires received a share of $390m in funding.

At least 319 have already been completed. Almost $48m remains unspent, with a small number of projects expected to miss the March 31 deadline.

The program was last year given a 12-month extension to assist projects that were behind schedule due to circumstances beyond their control.