Month: June 2023

The Australian Government has welcomed Qantas and Jetstar as the first airlines to sign up to the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) to operate domestic flights.

This agreement is expected to support more than 25,000 flights, carrying more than four million passengers, through WSI each year – and will support 700 jobs.

WSI is a transformational infrastructure project that will generate economic activity, provide long-term employment opportunities in the Western Sydney region, and meet Sydney’s growing aviation needs.

Delivery of Australia’s newest airport has now also reached another major milestone, passing the halfway mark.

Over 4,300 direct jobs have already been created by the airport’s construction, with half being from Western Sydney and around a third learning new skills on-the-job.

More than 250 Western Sydney-based businesses have been engaged by contractors across construction, catering, security and other sectors.

WSI is on track to start operations by late 2026.

Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese said:

“It’s exciting to see Qantas and Jetstar being the first airlines to commit to Australia’s newest airport, which will offer international and domestic passenger as well as freight services from Western Sydney.”

“This is a strong sign of support from the airline industry and continues the commitment we are seeing from the business community to invest in Western Sydney. That means more jobs for Western Sydney locals, as well as unlocking opportunities for apprenticeships and other learning workers to advance their skills and experience.

“More than 11,000 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created over the construction period, with thousands more set to be supported once operations begin – meaning WSI really is a game-changer for employment in the region, opening new opportunities across a range of exciting fields.”

Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said:

“Today we are welcoming Qantas and Jetstar as the first airlines to sign up to the airport, which will provide much-needed aviation services and bolster this critical Australian industry – all while championing sustainable features and practices.

“From the terminal to the airfield, sustainability is a key focus in the design and construction of WSI, which will consume less electricity, water and liquid fuels than comparative airports.

“With this first landmark agreement in place, Sydney’s new airport continues to pass milestone after milestone, with start of operations just around the corner. Construction has reached the halfway point just months after being assigned the three-letter WSI international airport code.”

No amount of Minister Plibersek’s “formal commitments” to protect the Great Barrier Reef will provide cover from the impacts of new fossil fuel projects she continues to greenlight. 

Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said: 

“The Great Barrier Reef as we’ve been lucky enough to know it in our lifetimes isn’t dying by accident. It’s being degraded by governments content with greenlighting new fossil fuel projects which spew millions of tonnes of CO2 into our atmosphere and turbo charge the warming of our oceans. 

“It’s ironic that while Minister Plibersek was virtue signalling the Government’s commitment to protecting the Great Barrier Reef, just yesterday the BOM issued a grave warning of the increased likelihood of an El Nino event this summer, which could have devastating consequences for the Reef.

“No amount of money or Minister Plibersek’s ‘formal commitments’ to protect the Great Barrier Reef will protect it from an El Nino marine heatwave event caused by rising emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. 

“So long as Labor continues to greenlight new fossil fuel projects we will continue to see more annual coral bleaching events – end of story.

“Labor can throw all the money it likes at the Great Barrier Reef to avoid an embarrassing Unesco World Heritage ‘in danger’ listing, but the only thing that will save it from danger is a dramatic decrease in fossil fuel emissions. It’s new coral or new coal, you can’t have both.”

Greens Treasury spokesperson Senator Nick McKim has responded to today’s decision by the RBA to raise interest rates for the twelfth time in thirteen months.

“The case is now overwhelming for Labor to step in and override the RBA,” he said.

“The RBA is engaging in a war on young people with Labor’s support.

“The total volume of retail sales is falling yet recent analysis by CBA of 7 million customers showed that older people are actually stoking demand.

“But Labor has caved to the establishment so young people are copping it in the neck, and the worst is yet to come.

“Young people are more likely to be renting or have recently bought a home, which means that they are paying the highest price for Labor’s culpability.”

“Young people are also more likely to be in insecure employment and be among the 130,000 people that are forecast to lose their job under Labor’s Budget.

“By the RBA’s own admission, interest rate increases are not the right tool to respond to the current bout of high inflation that is predominately a result of supply side pressures.

“Real wages are falling and the Treasury Secretary said last week that there are no signs of a wage-price spiral.

“Meanwhile corporate profits continue to rise.

“But the RBA is smashing renters and mortgage holders in a pathological pursuit of price stability.

“They are doing nothing to inspire any confidence among anyone but the already wealthy.

“In spite of all of the evidence that interest rates are not the right tool for the job, Labor has completely succumbed to central bank orthodoxy.

“Instead of leaving it to the RBA who will always use the one blunt instrument that they have, Labor should be dealing with the cost-of-living crisis by freezing rents, taxing super profits and the super rich, and putting dental into Medicare, wiping student debt, and raising income support.

“Jim Chalmers should also step in and use the powers that he has under Section 11 of the RBA Act to overrule the RBA to freeze interest rates.”

This World Environment Day the Greens are calling on the Government to back environmental laws that end native forests logging and the clearing of koala habitat. 

Greens spokesperson for the Environment, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“Today on World Environment Day it is time for the Albanese Government to put an end to native forest logging and the clearing of critical habitats. It’s time for the Environment Minister to cuddle fewer koalas and instead stop the logging of their homes. 

“The biggest threat to our wildlife is habitat destruction. Yet threatened species’ habitat continues to be destroyed at an alarming rate without assessment under our environment laws.

“Since April, the Environment Minister has had a list of 62 threatened species waiting for conservation protection on her desk. Yet nothing has been done to offer these species a lifeline and prevent them from becoming extinct. The Minister has the power to change this today with a ban on destroying their homes.

“The Federal Government has promised to introduce new environment laws by the end of year. The test for Labor is whether they actually protect the environment or simply fast-track approvals for mining companies and big developers. The laws will need the support of the Senate and Greens won’t be rubber-stamping anything. 

“The Environment Minister herself has acknowledged that our environmental laws are broken. If she is serious about making them fit for purpose to protect our wildlife, she must commit to a ban on native forest logging and ensure our new laws will adequately assess the clearing of threatened species habitat. 

“Words will not save our wildlife – we need urgent action. Now is the time for the Albanese Government to work with the Greens to implement a national ban on native forest logging and strong environment laws that protect our precious wildlife from extinction.”