wallydownundy

Inner-city Sydney residents (like me) are bracing for an increase in airplane noise next month. Today jets take a number of routes to Sydney’s three runways and as the airport is so close to town all suburbs “share the pain.” Soon the East-West runway is closing to add a “safety apron” on the end in case jets over-shoot the runway. Because this entails more than paving an open field, the runway will be closed for a year. Sydney airport is on a bay and the new apron means serious engineering over water and roadways and more.

Us inner-city residents can expect 1/3 more airplanes overhead while other suburbs have a year’s grace. The soon-to-be-more-noise -polluted suburbs include the former Prime Minister’s seat of Bennelong.

Here’s today’s dilemma. Late last year we held a Federal election in Australia. Seems the Transport Minister at the time knew of this upgrade - and the impact on suburbs, such as those held by the then-Prime Minister. That study was not revealed until three days after the election.

Former Transport Minister Mark Vaile doesn’t have a rock to hide under on this one. This is a sly, tricky way to conceal information from the populace. The taxpayers who will fund the upgrade and the voters who would have valued this information weren’t told. That’s because it would have inconvenienced the politicians of the day.

The more I learn about Howard’s government the happier I am they’ve been voted into obscurity. It is appalling that important reports are shelved because they would cost votes to a sitting government. That’s unethical in public relations and government.

In the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” an angel got its wings every time a bell rang. I’d suggest that a Liberal politician loses his seat every time a plane passes over an inner-city suburb. If I bear that in mind I may be able to grin and bear a year of increased noise. 

Vrrrroooooommmmm - there goes another!