The NSW government is pushing for the federal government to lift...

The NSW government is pushing for the federal government to lift the hourly movements cap at Sydney Airport to help free up more capacity during peak periods and to be more flexible about the curfew.
NSW Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner, who is now also the minister for tourism and major events, said he had held preliminary talks with Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Warren Truss and Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb about the issues.
At present, movements at Sydney Airport are capped at 80 an hour, but based on rolling 15 minute periods of 20 movements.
Mr Truss has indicated publicly he will consult with the community about lifting the 15 minute caps so that 80 movements can be achieved.
"I will be vigorously lobbying the Commonwealth to increase the movement cap during peak periods," Mr Stoner said at the Tourism & Transport Forum outlook conference in Sydney on Friday. "I've had some preliminary discussions with a couple of the relevant ministers [Mr Robb and Mr Truss]. In both of those gentleman I think you have an abounding of common sense. The early indications are good."
Mr Stoner said he would also "personally urge" his federal colleagues to look at the airport's 11pm to 6am curfew as well because of "ridiculous, non-sensical cases" that inconvenienced airlines and passengers.
The federal government has selected Badgerys Creek as the site of a $2.5 billion second Sydney Airport, with Mr Truss indicating he does not want a curfew on that airport.
Mr Stoner declined to comment on whether he believed there should be a curfew at Badgerys Creek.
"I'll leave that to my federal colleagues," he said. "By the time this Badgerys Creek is up and running we are talking potentially 15 to 20 years away, our job though is the connecting infrastructure to make sure we can fund the transport links in particular between the CBD and Badgerys Creek."


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/aviation/government-push-to-lift-flight-caps-change-curfew-at-sydney-airport-20140523-38r6r.html#ixzz32W2iHlNJ