Submission By Moorabbin Airport Resident's Association SUMMARY:
The
community who live, work and study around Moorabbin Airport has never
had an effective complaint mechanism for reporting the noise that is
generated by the airport.
Neither
the Moorabbin Airport Corporation, ASA or CASA have seen it as their
role to address the community’s issues regarding noise and its impact
on the community. Not surprisingly then, there has never been community
consultation, nor any effective management of aircraft noise.
We
believe Airservices Australia has failed in its duty to conduct open
and informed public consultation with the community affected by
Moorabbin Airport aircraft noise. We believe it has also failed
in its duty in several of the Senate Inquiry’s other Terms of
Reference, which we will address below. The result is a community which
is frustrated, ignored, powerless and lacking faith in Govt. Aircraft
Authorities - no one listens, no one helps.
Submission By Aspendale Resident -
Absence of Noise Data
Collection and Transparency
AirServices Australia
is not collecting or acting on aircraft noise data within the Moorabbin Control Zone
which is one of the busiest aviation precincts in the country
Managing Noise at the
Source
CASA will readily confirm that it has no involvement in aircraft noise as it relates to
community amenity and yet it is involved with Air Navigation Regulations
relating to noisy aircraft. Meanwhile
AirServices Australia endorses long range noise forecasts prepared by the
private business Moorabbin Airport Corporation (MAC) which impact on local
Council planning and yet AirServices Australia admits that it has no idea where
the MAC data comes from. It's a management shambles.
Who Puts The
Measurements Into Context & How?
Aviation
noise management requires context, using a similar approach to that
applied by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). Currently
there is no attempt to
measure & manage aircraft noise by first considering the
perspective and requirements of sensitive urban areas which are
particularly affected by aviation activity. So while there is
little consideration of human ecology and reduced quality of life,
believe it or not there are actually documented aircraft procedures
relating to noise abatement for breeding sea birds, whales and national
parks!
Measurements Alone
Don’t Solve The Problems
Even if AirServices had the right data it doesn’t appear to
know what to do with it.
Irrational Aviation
Procedures Underpin Much Of The Noise Issue
In many cases a simple rethink of common procedures would
greatly reduce noise pollution from aviation. Circuit and entry altitudes within the Moorabbin Control
Zone, particularly for helicopters are a case in point.
The Problem Is Much
Bigger Than Any One Department
There
are conflicting interests and fragmented poorly communicating departments
within Aviation and AirServices is just one of the many stake holders. The
AirServices Webtrak system is nothing
more than an expensive and fairly meaningless PR exercise and doesnt
provide the community with proper information about aircraft
activity or identifcation..
There Are Solutions,
but Who Is Listening?
Is there really a desire to see effectiveness in the
management of aircraft noise and if so why is the enquiry limited to
AirServices Australia? It appears that no
department has the authority or enthusiasm to become involved with even the
most obvious issues and solutions. | 
