(1)   Has he read the article in the Sun-Herald on 22 January 2006 concerning tenancy and other fees at Sydney Airport titled ‘Operations charging as much as they can get away with’.

(2)   Is there pricing surveillance of costs such as rents, parking fees, and other landside costs payable by tenants of Sydney Airport Corporation Limited (SACL); if so, what was the annual rate of increase each year of rents, parking fees and related landside costs for tenants at Sydney Airport since SACL was privatised.

(3)   Has the rate of increase in rents, parking fees and related landside costs for tenants at Sydney airport been more or less than the rate of increase in the Consumer Price Index for each year since SACL was privatised.

(4)   Is he taking action to ensure that price increases for tenants at Sydney Airport remain within the CPI; if so, what; if not, why not.

(1)   I am aware of an article in the Sun-Herald on 22 January 2006 on revenue from SACL commercial trading.

(2)   Yes. Under Treasurer’s Direction No. 27 and pursuant to Part VIIA of the Trade Practices Act 1974, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is responsible for monitoring the prices, costs and profits of a range of aeronautical and aeronautical related services at the seven major airports. The ACCC’s 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 price monitoring reports provide details of each major airport’s car parking rates. Details of these reports can be obtained via ACCC’s website - www.accc.gov.au.

(3)   The ACCC’s 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 price monitoring reports do not provide the specific information to answer this question. However, analysis of the car parking prices obtained from SACL’s website (www.sydneyairport.com.au) available from 2003, indicates that car parking rates in total have increased by less than CPI since privatisation and in many cases have remained at the same rates or have been reduced.

(4)   No. Given ACCC’s responsibility for investigating pricing complaints under the Trade Practices Act 1974, any complaints about the level of charges would be a matter for the ACCC to consider in the first instance. Moreover, the Productivity Commission is currently considering a wide range of issues as part of its Inquiry into Price Regulation of Airport Services. In particular, the Productivity commission will examine whether airports including SACL have acted in a manner consistent with the Government’s Aeronautical Pricing Principles released in its response to the Productivity Commission’s 2002 Report on Airport Price Regulations. The Government will consider the Commission’s recommendations following receipt of the Commission’s final report.