Today I have approved Canberra Airport’s 2009 Master Plan.

The 2009 Master Plan is a significant improvement over the plan I rejected last year. It now includes a comprehensive and strategic plan for the development of Canberra Airport over the next 20 years.

Canberra Airport is a key economic driver for the ACT and the surrounding region.

Data provided by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics shows that last year nearly three million passengers used the Airport, with this number expected to rise to 3.9 million by 2016, and 6.3 million by 2029.

The number of jobs at Canberra Airport is expected to increase from 8,000 to 25,000 over the next 20 years with continued development.

Investment in airport infrastructure is necessary to accommodate growth and support employment, and the Master Plan provides for a new terminal building and associated upgrades to airfield facilities.

The approved Master Plan addresses the problems the Government identified with the previous plan.

It now contains detailed information about development objectives for each airport precinct and reflects the concerted efforts made by the Airport to address community concerns.

At present, Canberra Airport already has night-time freight services, and the proposed increase in freight services is expected to deliver greater economic benefits for the Canberra region.

I recognise the concern within the Canberra community about aircraft noise and I have asked Airservices Australia to review ways to minimise its impact.

Airservices’ review will be conducted in 2010 and will consider options to concentrate aircraft noise away from existing residential areas, especially at night. It will examine the application of air navigation technology to minimise the impact of aircraft noise.

My approval of the Master Plan is not an endorsement of Canberra Airport’s ambition to become Sydney’s second airport.

Canberra Airport now has 50 business days to make the 2009 Master Plan public.