Forum –
I write in reply to Susan Wynn’s Forum comments (Chronicle Nov 4) that “it is interesting that the NSW Government is pushing ahead with the repeal of the Warnervale Airport (Restrictions) Act…”.
What is interesting is that the author ties the operating costs of the airport to environmental concerns and the Landcare supervisors.
At least one of the complainants that led to the enactment WAR Act in 1996 is a Green activist.
To break down the $500,000 quoted, which is close, but inaccurate, the real figure comprises two full-time and one part-time staff, infrastructure, vehicles and utilities put in place by this Council in 2017.
The cost of this infrastructure equates to close on the full annual operating costs.
Council staff just last week confirmed that the onsite staff are there to count aircraft movements in support of the WAR Act, and the removal of the WAR Act would free up onsite and internal administration of the burden of counting movements.
It is worth noting that for 30 years previous to 2017, the Central Coast Aero Club (CCAC) maintained the airport grounds at zero cost to Council.
CCAC has advised Council multiple times over the past three years that they are happy to take back maintenance operations, again at zero cost to Council.
In Council’s Draft Central Coast Economic Development Strategy from March 2020, survey results show that the terms “aviation” and “airport” were referenced positively and unprompted in 59.7 percent of responses.
Further, airport/aviation was mentioned by 29 percent of all participants, aviation and airport ranked number one in the best suited sector for the future of the Central Coast region at 62 percent, with number two being manufacturing, at only 30 percent, and in regard to economic development activities and the main vision for the future, airport and aviation ranked number two.
Email, Nov 11
John Codrington, President
Central Coast Airport Association