Public concern about new flight paths crossing Sunshine Coast skies has reached new heights, with Airservices Australia (ASA) “inundated” by concerned residents having their say on the new flight paths, their impacts, and ASA’s grossly inadequate 2019 community consultation.
The public comment period for ASA’s second draft Terms of Reference (TOR) which will form the framework of the Post Implementation Review (PIR) for the current flight paths, closed last week.
ASA granted a three-day extension for feedback lodgement due to website problems and prolonged power outages for many residents of the northern Sunshine Coast as a result of severe storms.
“We hope the level of community response to the Terms of Reference and concerns raised on the review as a whole, will show ASA how essential it is that they take community feedback seriously and make good on their intimations of wanting to work with the community to find better solutions, to reduce the impacts on newly over flown northern Sunshine Coast communities,“ local resident and spokesperson for community group Flight Path Forum, Vivien Griffin said.
The TOR must provide a clear and effectively designed process which will fully implement the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman’s (ANO) recommendations.
“There must be clear and genuine opportunities for community contributions to influence decisions, as distinct from opportunities for input and comment,” Ms Griffin said.
“ASA must now be proactive in undertaking the recommended review of the flight path designs and look for beneficial changes and improvements that are not constrained by the 2014 Environmental Impact Statement concepts.”
Ms Griffin said other key issues with the TOR included an absence of a Community Engagement Plan (CEP), as well as severe scope limitations.
“ASA was responsible for the flight path and airspace change process, and for assessments of environmental impacts. The PIR must therefore address all the impacts of the changes to airspace and flight paths.”
Ms Griffin also highlighted a lack of detail on specific matters to be addressed; inadequate data collection methodology; a weak PIR structure that will potentially compromise assessments and evaluations; and a lack of expressed commitment to providing best available information to the community.
“FPF continues genuinely collaborating with ASA to achieve the best possible outcomes from the PIR, and to assist in rebuilding community trust. It is unfortunate that whilst ASA state their intent to rebuild that trust, the documents provided to date, do not adequately reflect that intent.
“FPF’s carefully considered and comprehensive TOR submission was presented in the spirit of true collaboration to ensure ASA do not miss a highly valuable opportunity to engage with a fully informed, responsive, and proactive community, which shares ASA’s aim to improve its process and engagement with communities, affected by ASA’s decision-making, both now and into the future.”
