Brimbank Council has launched a ‘Know the Facts on the Third Runway’ campaign, calling for the Federal Government to commission a full and thorough independent investigation into the potential health impacts of the proposed third runway before it makes a decision on Melbourne Airport’s proposal.
Council is also calling for the health impact assessment to be made public so it can be shared with potentially impacted households and communities.
Brimbank Council is opposing the draft 2022 Melbourne Airport Master Plan (Master Plan) and the Preliminary Draft Major Development Plan (MDP) for the Third Runway because of the unreasonable and unacceptable health risks posed to the community.
Community members are urged to support the call to get the facts on the third runway, through thirdrunway.brimbank.vic.gov.au
The website allows people to email support for the campaign call and let the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government know the proposed third runway cannot go ahead without a health impact assessment against the World Health Organisation’s Noise Guidance.
If the proposed north south third runway is approved:
- There will be significantly more planes flying over built up areas in Melbourne’s west 24 hours a day seven days a week, with communities impacted as far as Yarraville and Spotswood.
- There will be more than 200 flights over Brimbank each day with people in Keilor, Keilor Park, Kealba and Sunshine North most impacted.
- 95 per cent of all flights will travel on two north south runways including over homes from Keilor to Spotswood
- The predicted aircraft noise will exceed the health impact guidance in the World Health Organisation Noise Guidelines that informs the development of best practice international airports
- Research indicates children under these flight paths could have cognitive delays of up to six months
- Increased aircraft noise could also potentially cause increases in sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression and cardiovascular disease.
Brimbank Mayor Cr Jasmine Nguyen said:
“Melbourne Airport’s proposal for a third runway does not fully explain the significant health impacts this third runway will have. It doesn’t even use world’s best practice standards for measuring noise.
“Our campaign calls on the Federal Government to undertake a thorough investigation into the health impacts of the proposed third runway before making any decision. And we want the facts shared with our community.
“I strongly urge our Brimbank community and communities in the West who would be impacted to support this call to get the facts.
“The economic benefits of a third runway should not be at the expense of the health of people living in Melbourne’s west.”
Additional information
Earlier this year Brimbank City Council undertook an independent assessment of the health risks associated with Master Plan and MDP. The research found that people in Keilor, Keilor Park, Kealba and Sunshine North will potentially experience:
- Increases in sleep disturbances
- Likely increases in cardiovascular disease and anxiety and depression
- Cognitive delays in children in the most impacted areas including a delay in reading and oral comprehension compared to children in lower noise areas.
Brimbank Council is calling on the Federal Government – who is the approval authority for the Airport’s proposal to:
- Immediately commission an independent assessment of the health impacts of the third runway against the WHO noise guidelines.
- Request that Melbourne Airport publically release the full health impacts report that informed their proposal
- Identify appropriate measures to mitigate the impact of aircraft noise on communities to accord with WHO Noise Guidelines
- Not make any decision on the development of the third runway until these actions are done.
Community members can support the call through thirdrunway.brimbank.vic.gov.au