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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/dec/12/badgerys-creek-malcolm-turnbull-to-sign-off-on-second-sydney-airport

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Badgery's Creek: Malcolm Turnbull to sign off on second Sydney airport Badgerys Creek: Malcolm Turnbull to sign off on second Sydney airport
(about 3 hours later)
The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, is expected to sign off on Sydney’s long-awaited second airport on Monday. Malcolm Turnbull is expected to sign off on Sydney’s long-awaited second airport on Monday.
The 1,800ha site at Badgerys Creek in western Sydney will initially service about 10 million passengers a year, making it the size of Adelaide airport, from the mid-2020s.The 1,800ha site at Badgerys Creek in western Sydney will initially service about 10 million passengers a year, making it the size of Adelaide airport, from the mid-2020s.
A sitemap for “stage one” includes a 3,700m east-west runway, a domestic, international and cargo terminal, and a tunnel earmarked for a future underground rail link. A sitemap for “stage one” includes a 3,700m east-west runway, a domestic, international and cargo terminal, and a tunnel earmarked for a future underground rail link. It would take eight years to build and take 10 million passengers annually at a cost of $4bn.
It would take eight years to build and take 10 million passengers annually at a cost of $4bn. By 2050 a second 3,700m runway would be complete, with the airport forecast to take 80 million passengers annually – about twice the number who now pass through Sydney airport.
By 2050, a second 3,700m runway would be complete, with the airport forecast to take 80 million passengers annually – about twice the number who now pass through Sydney airport.
The federal minister for infrastructure, Paul Fletcher, said: “The new airport will be a major generator of jobs and economic activity for western Sydney, both during construction but also once it is operational.”The federal minister for infrastructure, Paul Fletcher, said: “The new airport will be a major generator of jobs and economic activity for western Sydney, both during construction but also once it is operational.”
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce says Sydney needs the second airport at Badgerys Creek because Kingsford Smith airport is already operating at capacity. The Qantas chief executive, Alan Joyce, said Sydney needed the second airport at Badgerys Creek because Kingsford Smith airport was already operating at capacity.
“We are hopeful the airport will be open and running by the mid-2020s, and we are very keen on having that expansion,” he told Network Seven on Monday. “We are hopeful the airport will be open and running by the mid-2020s, and we are very keen on having that expansion,” he told Network Seven on Monday. “Sydney is already full, Kingsford Smith is full, we have called for this capacity for sometime. With operations taking place hopefully from the mid-20s, which will be great for Sydney, NSW and Australia,” he said.
“Sydney is already full, Kingsford Smith is full, we have called for this capacity for sometime. With operations taking place hopefully from the mid-20s, which will be great for Sydney, NSW and Australia,” he said.
Previous government estimates claimed the initial construction phase would generate about 4,000 jobs, while the airport development will create 35,000 jobs by 2035, increasing to 60,000 jobs over time.Previous government estimates claimed the initial construction phase would generate about 4,000 jobs, while the airport development will create 35,000 jobs by 2035, increasing to 60,000 jobs over time.
Sydney’s second airport has been stuck in a mire of politics for 40 years. Successive governments have refused to make a decision because of political sensitivities over noise, infrastructure and amenity. Sydney’s second airport has been stuck in a mire of politics for 40 years. Successive governments have refused to make a decision because of political sensitivities about noise, infrastructure and amenity.
Badgerys Creek was first recommended in 1979 but it was not until the mid-80s that the Hawke government began acquiring land at the site. But the political appetite waned and both parties ruled it out.Badgerys Creek was first recommended in 1979 but it was not until the mid-80s that the Hawke government began acquiring land at the site. But the political appetite waned and both parties ruled it out.
A second site at Wilton was considered but was ruled out because it was further from the Sydney central business district and required greater development.A second site at Wilton was considered but was ruled out because it was further from the Sydney central business district and required greater development.
A joint federal-state report released in 2012 found the result of doing nothing about a second airport was lost jobs, lost economic growth, traffic gridlock, nationwide aviation delays and increased aircraft noise.A joint federal-state report released in 2012 found the result of doing nothing about a second airport was lost jobs, lost economic growth, traffic gridlock, nationwide aviation delays and increased aircraft noise.
The report concluded: “If action is not taken quickly the chance to secure the future of aviation for the Sydney region may be lost altogether … the option of doing nothing is no longer available and the costs of deferring action are unacceptable.”The report concluded: “If action is not taken quickly the chance to secure the future of aviation for the Sydney region may be lost altogether … the option of doing nothing is no longer available and the costs of deferring action are unacceptable.”
The report found Kingsford Smith airport would run out of space by 2027, with peak times in the morning and late afternoon filled by 2020. The authors said by 2060 the lack of capacity would result in almost $60bn in forgone expenditure and 57,000 jobs forgone in that year alone.The report found Kingsford Smith airport would run out of space by 2027, with peak times in the morning and late afternoon filled by 2020. The authors said by 2060 the lack of capacity would result in almost $60bn in forgone expenditure and 57,000 jobs forgone in that year alone.