Greens win Senate inquiry into aircraft noise

MEDIA RELEASE

Greens win Senate inquiry into aircraft noise

6/2/2024

The Senate today agreed to establish an inquiry into aircraft noise.

The text of the inquiry is as follows:

Senator Rice: To move—That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 8 October 2024: 

The impact and mitigation of aircraft noise on residents and business in capital cities and regional towns, with particular reference to:

1. the effect of aircraft noise on amenity, physical and mental wellbeing and everyday life of residents;

2. the effect of aircraft noise on small business;

3. any proposals for the mitigation and limitation of aircraft noise, including flight curfews, changes to flight paths and alternatives to air travel;

4. any barriers to the mitigation and limitation of aircraft noise; and

5. any other related matters.

Lines attributable to Elizabeth Watson-Brown, Greens spokesperson for Transport, Infrastructure and Sustainable Cities:

For too long residents in Brisbane and around the country have been ignored, dismissed and ridiculed by state and federal governments and their mates in the for-profit aviation sector for simply wanting a good night’s sleep.

Flight noise-affected communities have been given the absolute run around by regulators like Airservices Australia, who have promised review after review with little to no effect on noise levels.

We can’t rely on the airports and airlines to fix this issue themselves, even though they love to tell us otherwise. They are privatised corporations that have the singular goal of increasing their profits; and successive governments and regulators have failed to hold them accountable.

With the success of the Greens-proposed inquiry, the Senate now has the opportunity to shine a light on the corruption, deceit and false promises inflicted on noise-affected communities by airports, regulators and airlines.