Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he would like to see construction of a second Sydney airport begin in Labor's next term of government if Labor is re-elected.
For the goal to be viable a decision would need to be made on a site within the first year after the election, he told reporters in Sydney.
"We know that notice has to be given to Sydney airport ... but I would envisage a site needs to be confirmed and then the process of notification given to Sydney airport," Mr Albanese said.
"Construction I would like to see commence in the next term, over the next three years."
Sydney airport was already so congested it was putting a handbrake on national productivity, he said.
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Mr Albanese said he has spoken to the coalition about a bipartisan approach.
"We know that in the past politics has got in the way, we need to make sure that doesn't happen," he said.
He did not say whether he had spoken to the NSW government about the project.
Various NSW business and community groups have already voiced their support for a second airport at Badgerys Creek, while a recent federal government study found building it at Wilton was possible, though it would involve environmental and engineering challenges.
Mr Albanese stressed that no decision had yet been made.
"We're doing further geotechnical work on the Wilton site. When that's done it will be published, then an assessment will be made.
"You can ask it in a whole lot of different ways, I'm not getting ahead of that."
