Mr ZAMMIT —My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Transport and Regional Development. Is the minister aware that there are two applications listed for hearing in the Federal Court between the 25th and the 28th of this month seeking to set aside the long-term operating plan currently governing the flight movements from Sydney airport and seriously alleging that the decision by the coalition government to not conduct an EIS was improperly made? Will the minister now move, without waiting for the court's finding, in a spirit of goodwill and equity and fairness to the one million people of Sydney—

Mr SPEAKER —I regret to advise the honourable gentleman that his question, as it is now framed, is sub judice. I suggest he have another look at it. He might be able to redraft it so that it is not so. As I understand it, it is before the courts.

Mr ZAMMIT —Not until the 25th.

Mr SPEAKER —It is a civil matter, not a criminal matter. After the date is set down, as I understand it, if any matter arises in this place which in any way might prejudice any of the litigants, it is considered to be sub judice and should not be canvassed. I would suggest that the honourable member consider the detail of his question. I shall call him if he believes he can adjust it so it is does not breach the sub judice rule. The honourable member for Lowe, can you adjust it?

Mr ZAMMIT —Yes, I can. Will the minister move, without waiting for a court finding, in a spirit of goodwill and equity and fairness to the one million people of Sydney who are aircraft noise affected, to do what should have been done in the first place and commission an urgent EIS?

Mr VAILE (Transport and Regional Development) —I thank the honourable member for his question. I am aware of the concerns of the member for Lowe and a number of other members of the House with regard to the operations of Kingsford Smith airport in Sydney. One of our commitments at the 1996 election was to more fairly and equitably distribute aircraft noise around KSA, and it is being done. We are delivering on that commitment. It is something that the Labor Party was never able to do with Sydney airport with the indecision over the years on the operations of the airport. Our targets remain in place as far as the long-term operating plan is concerned. We aim to achieve those targets by the end of this year. We are about halfway through the implementation process.

Mr Zammit —I rise on a point of order, Mr Speaker. It goes to relevance. The question was specific in regard to environmental effects, not on flights over Sydney per se.

Mr SPEAKER —The minister will take note of the concerns of the honourable member.

Mr VAILE —Mr Speaker, we are talking about the operations of Kingsford Smith airport in Sydney and all of its effects on the community. The government is well aware of that. We have taken action to change the operating mode of the airport to fairly distribute the aircraft noise and the impacts on the community in all the suburbs around the airport in Sydney. We are going to continue down this path. We believe that we are achieving the goals that we set out to achieve in terms of the targets, and the most important one of those targets is to get 55 per cent of movements moving over water—over Botany Bay—and we are well on the path to achieving that.

Mr Zammit —Mr Speaker, on a point of order: my question was very, very specific. It asked the minister if he was going to consider doing an environmental assessment of flights over Sydney. It was not in regard to the number of flight movements.

Mr SPEAKER —The minister will take note of the question and respond to it.

Mr VAILE —The government has implemented a policy that we laid out at the last election. We are going to continue to pursue that outcome until we achieve it.

Mr Zammit —Mr Speaker, I repeat the point of order I raised earlier on. It was a specific question to the minister regarding the commissioning of an environmental assessment. He has not answered my question.

Mr SPEAKER —The member will resume his seat. I think the minister has completed his answer.