Mr McClelland asked the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, upon notice, on 24 November 1998:

(1) What infrastructure developments relating to ground or air movement of aircraft are under way at Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport.

(2) What further developments are anticipated.

(3) What is the cost of the developments which are (a) under way and (b) anticipated.

(4) Have developments which are under way or anticipated been treated as major development proposals under the Airports Act 1996; if not, why not.

Mr Anderson (Deputy Prime Minister) —The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1) Taxiways enhancements to improve the efficiency of Long Term Operating Plan operations, relocation of the runway 25 threshold to improve usage of that runway, and the construction of aprons that will increase the capacity of the International Terminal by 10 gates suitable for wide-bodied aircraft and expansion and refurbishment of the International Terminal Building to manage these additional 10 gates.

(2) Further developments planned for Sydney Airport are an Instrument Landing System (ILS) for runway 25 and runway lighting enhancements.

(3) The costs of the developments which are under way are $44.7m for the taxiway enhancements, $700,000 for the relocation of the runway 25 threshold and of the order of $88m for the apron

works. The costs of the developments which are planned are yet to be fully determined.

(4) Under Division 4, Part 5 of the Airports Act 1996, a major development plan is required to be submitted for Ministerial approval for works including taxiways, passenger terminals and buildings where the cost of construction exceeds $10 million or where the works meet other prescribed triggers.

The Airport Regulations (Regulation 5.03(1) and (2)) do, however, provide transitional provisions. Regulation 5.03(1) states that:

a major airport development that is the subject of written permission or approval (however described) of the Federal Airports Corporation when it was the operator of the airport concerned, is exempt from Division 4 of Part 5 of the Act.

I am advised that the developments under way were approved by the Federal Airports Corporation prior to 1 July 1998 when Sydney Airport became subject to the Act.