10 August 2016

Last Chance for Public to Have a Say on Runway Extension, as Mayoral Candidates Keep Quiet

Public submissions against the proposed Wellington Airport runway extension close this Friday, 12 August 2016, at 4.30pm.

Local group Guardians of the Bays are urging more Wellingtonians to make up their own minds about the runway extension, as the submission period for Wellington International Airport’s consent application draws to a close.

Dr Sea Rotmann and Richard Randerson, Co-Chairs of Guardians of the Bays, said that a large number of submissions are coming in showing that Wellingtonians who are engaging with the issue do have genuine concerns about the proposal and the cost to ratepayers.

“Over the past month we have been working hard to give people as much information as possible around the issues surrounding the airport extension. There is a lot of misinformation, including in the full-page adverts that Wellington International Airport Ltd (WIAL) has been running, using ratepayer money to promote their perspective,” Mr Randerson said.

“From the impact on Cook Straight wildlife, to the effects on surfing at Lyall Bay, to the increase in traffic for local residents – there is plenty of detail that they are not communicating to Wellington residents.

“Greater Wellington Regional Council has been working hard to represent Wellingtonians' interests. They have asked WIAL to answer 46 questions clarifying some key aspects of the proposal, including the impact of traffic movements around Oriental Bay, and the impact on recreational and traditional and recreational fishing and activities. Wellington Airport has provided inadequate responses to most of these questions.”

The Guardians of the Bays have also been actively trying to engage the mayoral candidates in the debate around the runway extension.

“Wellington City Councillors have not been asking the right questions about this issue,” said Dr Rotmann.

“Should the extension go ahead, it will impact Wellingtonians with a bill in excess of $350m – on top of the funding Wellington ratepayers have already provided WIAL.

“WIAL is looking to put a huge cost and risk on the City’s books, when it has zero evidence that airlines will actually use the runway to bring long-haul flights into Wellington. The proposal will also need taxpayer funding.

“It is really disappointing that the mayoral and Council candidates are not asking the right questions of the Airport and its majority shareholder Infratil, who are reluctant to fund this from their own pocket,” Dr Rotmann said.

The public has until Friday 12 August 2016, 4.30pm, to make a submission. Online submissions can be made via www.actionstation.org.nz/wellington_airport_extension.

A simple guideline for how to submit and where to send submissions can be found on the Guardians of the Bays websitewww.guardiansofthebays.org.nz.

“This is such an important decision for Wellington that we need to capture as broad a range of perspectives and views as possible,” said Dr Rotmann.

ENDS

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