By Molly Magennis
A concerned Maribyrnong resident is calling for a curfew to be implemented for planes using the new third runway at Melbourne airport.
Jane Xi hails from Braybrook, and is worried about the amount of noise pollution the third runway will create once constructed.
Ms Xi, whose street lines up with the existing north-south runway flightpath, said prior to COVID, the noise created by planes landing at the airport was enough to wake her up multiple times a night. It was so bad she made an initial complaint to AirServices Australia.
“I complained because I was so angry, I was so upset. You know, I’m lying in bed at 11.30 at night, and I’m reading so I can go to bed, go to sleep, and then when I switch the light off there’s a plane flying over and then followed by maybe another three or four,” she said.
As a healthcare worker, Ms Xi said she knows what effect disrupted sleep has on people, and worries the situation is going to get much worse once the third runway is built.
“It can bring on lots of other health issues like cardiovascular disease. A lot of people with bad hearts, if you ask them, they’ll tell you they don’t sleep properly. They suffer from insomnia.”
While she acknowledges she cannot stop planes from coming into Melbourne, Ms Xi proposes a curfew should be in place between 10pm to 8am.
Melbourne Airport chief of infrastructure Simon Gandy said there are no plans to introduce a curfew, and that the airport’s curfew-free operation supports Victoria’s economy.
“For example, it ensures Victorian farmers can send fresh produce quickly and efficiently into overseas markets, gives airlines greater flexibility and helps provide passengers with more choice and lower fares,” he said.
“We understand some residents, particularly those under proposed flight paths, will have concerns about noise, and Melbourne Airport is being as upfront as possible about the likely impacts associated with this critical piece of state infrastructure.”
Ms Xi said she believes a curfew is inevitable.
“There’s so many more people living near it now, and if you want to expand a city there’s going to be more residents, which means people will complain about the noise.”
