NSW Labor calls for second Sydney airport

NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson has written to Prime Minister Tony Abbott calling for bipartisan support for a second airport in Sydney's west.

NSW Opposition leader John Robertson

The NSW opposition has called for bipartisan support for a second airport in Sydney. (AAP)

The NSW opposition has written to the prime minister calling for bipartisan support to build Sydney's second airport in the city's west.

In a letter sent to Tony Abbott on Friday, Opposition leader John Robertson said western Sydney was facing the major challenges of population growth, jobs deficits and ageing infrastructure.

One way to overcome these was to build a second airport he wrote.

And after 30 years of debate and more than 50 reports, it was "obvious Badgerys Creek is the only viable site", he wrote.

The letter follows reports that Mr Abbott has put off a cabinet decision to approve the second airport due to political concerns in the city's west.

Badgerys Creek has been firmed as the site for the long-awaited airport and cabinet is expected to sign off on the project and transport links worth more than $200 million.

But News Corp Australia reported on Thursday that Mr Abbott will instead establish a committee made up of western Sydney Liberal MPs to report on their concerns about the Badgerys Creek proposal.

In his letter, Mr Robertson argued the government would need to make certain commitments to the community in order for the project to be a success.

This included an assurance that the airport would operate with the same curfew as Kingsford Smith Airport and that passenger flights would be available.

Connections to the South West Rail Link and Sydney Motorway Network as well as extensions on the M4 East and M5 East would also have to be completed before an airport was built.

"If the Federal Government puts forward a fair deal for Western Sydney that meets these conditions I will give it my full support," Mr Robertson said.


2 min read

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Source: AAP


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