In the lead-up to the first BFPCA protest on 10 June 2023, we published a newĀ reason to protestĀ every day: 60 in total. Each article is based on extensive research we have conducted over the last two years, Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, Senate Estimate hearings, and whistleblower accounts.
This page shows shocking evidence of systemic corrupt and unethical conduct over years. The Department of Infrastructure & Transport is responsible for ensuring Airservices Australia, a government corporation, does the right thing in designing airspace and conducting its business. Yet, the Department has failed to provide adequate regulatory oversight. Support BFPCA’s regulatory failure campaign with three actions:
- Lodge a formal complaint to the Department.
- Escalate your complaint to the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
- Call for a Senate Inquiry into Airservices Australia.
- #1: Corruption and State Capture
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #1 ā Corruption and State Capture When BFPCA started in 2020, we intuitively knew that something was wrong ā more than just the noise. We came to the realisation that the excessive noise pollution was a symptom of something deeper and more systemic. When weā¦ Read more: #1: Corruption and State Capture - #2: Double Standards: Albo ’96 vs King ’23
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #2 ā Double Standards: Albo ’96 vs King ’23 Anthony Albanese entered parliament in 1996. In his maiden speech, this is what he had to say about Sydney Airport’s enormous noise pollution issue affecting people in his seat of Grayndler: “The third runway cost $243ā¦ Read more: #2: Double Standards: Albo ’96 vs King ’23 - #3: Airservices’ true colours
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #3 ā Airservices’ true colours BFPCA got hold of Airservices’ āKey Messagesā document, which they publicly released by mistake as it was obviously never intended to be seen by Brisbane communities. This document (copy below) was created 02/02/2022 and published in error on the Airservices Engageā¦ Read more: #3: Airservices’ true colours - #4: Airservices failed to meet ministerial conditions
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #4 ā Airservices failed to meet ministerial conditions Major Development Proposals (MDP) such as the New Parallel Runway require ministerial approvals from both the Infrastructure Minister under the Airport Act 1996 and from the Environment Minister (for the EIS component) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. Brisbaneā¦ Read more: #4: Airservices failed to meet ministerial conditions - #5: Noise reductions = Emission reductions
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #5 ā Noise reductions = Emission reductions The AFR reports that Qantas and Virgin are set to fly below the tougher āsafeguard mechanismā emission caps proposed by the Albanese government, meaning the airlines wonāt even need to buy extra carbon offsets. That’s bad for theā¦ Read more: #5: Noise reductions = Emission reductions - #6: Petitioning our leaders
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #6 ā Petitioning our leaders We ask everyone to please sign BFPCA’s new petition:Ā https://bfpca.org.au/qld-petition This one is to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland: Sign here:Ā https://bfpca.org.au/qld-petition Some background It’s been 1,058 days since the new flight path design above Greater Brisbane was launched causing havoc, distress, anger,ā¦ Read more: #6: Petitioning our leaders - #7: Bait-and-Switch
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #7 ā Bait-and-Switch The ministerial approval of the New Parallel Runway and associated flight paths by the Australian Government in 2007 was based on the 2006 Brisbane Airport MDP/EIS, which stipulates that SODPROPS (over water operations) are to be, āthe preferred mode as it offersā¦ Read more: #7: Bait-and-Switch - #8: Who really owns Brisbane Airport?
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #8 ā Who really owns Brisbane Airport? Did you know that YOU may be a part-owner of Brisbane Airport through your superannuation? “Over 63% of BACās shareholders are major Australian institutional investors, including QIC, a state-owned entity which manages interests on behalf of its clients. Many ofā¦ Read more: #8: Who really owns Brisbane Airport? - #9: Brisbane City Council complicit
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #9 ā Brisbane City Council complicit The Sydney Airport community protests against the noise pollution in the mid 90s saw demonstrators gathering at the international and domestic terminals, effectively blocking movements in and out of terminal buildings. What is notable is that they had the supportā¦ Read more: #9: Brisbane City Council complicit - #10: Emirates II departs Brisbane 2.50 AM
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #10 ā Emirates II departs Brisbane 2.50 AM Community members have been referring to the Emirates A380 as the āmonsterā as it almost always departs over the city, low and loud. Well, now there are two monsters. Thanks to the Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczukās $200 millionā¦ Read more: #10: Emirates II departs Brisbane 2.50 AM - #11: The Premier’s $200 million aviation war chest
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #11 ā The Premier’s $200 million aviation war chest We all remember the embarrassing scene at the Gabba Stadium in March 2022 when Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk hosted former PM Scott Morrison and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. All three were trying to announce more nationā¦ Read more: #11: The Premier’s $200 million aviation war chest - #12: The Online Trolls
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #12 ā The Online Trolls We have heard it all before, haven’t we? We have all experienced it many times. It’s not bad enough that we suffer flight path noise pollution but we also receive ongoing harassment from online trolls. Trolls are sad individuals who engageā¦ Read more: #12: The Online Trolls - #13: The Aviation White Paper
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #13 ā The Aviation White Paper One of Labor’s election promises was to update the old 2009 Aviation Policy “White Paper” from the Rudd / Albo era. About a year ago, when Catherine King MP was still Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development,ā¦ Read more: #13: The Aviation White Paper - #14: Misleading Noise Data
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #14 ā Misleading Noise Data The community protests at Sydney Airport in the mid nineties led not only to the introduction of a curfew, movement cap, and Long-Term Operating Plan, they also caused various inquiries and reports to be produced assessing how to learn fromā¦ Read more: #14: Misleading Noise Data - #15: Kevin Rudd’s broken promises
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #15 ā Kevin Rudd’s broken promises BFPCA is grateful and thanks the community action groups that came before us. Most noteable and commendable is BARB ā Ban Aircraft over Residential Brisbane. Part of the Rivermouth Action Group, BARB was active in the fight against Airservicesā¦ Read more: #15: Kevin Rudd’s broken promises - #16: The faux Noise Improvement Trials
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #16 ā The faux Noise Improvement Trials A recommendation stemming from the Brisbane Airport PIR Advisory Forum (BAPAF) included short-term noise improvement measures, specifically: 1. Restriction on intersection departures From when the runway opened, aircraft were allowed to take off at different intersections on theā¦ Read more: #16: The faux Noise Improvement Trials - #17: Why we need a Royal Commission
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #17 ā Why we need a Royal Commission BFPCA has been collecting and analysing countless government reports, scientific studies, discussion papers, policy proposals, Senate inquiries, and amendment bills, dating as far back asĀ 1975Ā ā yet: NOTHING HAS CHANGED. We must thus demand a Royal Commission into the stateā¦ Read more: #17: Why we need a Royal Commission - #18: Senate Estimates
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #18 ā Senate Estimates The poor performance of Airservices and the Department’s Aviation Branch in Senate Estimates hearings over the last two years is worthy of its own dedicated protest reason. Here are some highlights (lowlights?) from recent hearings and written answers provided to Questionsā¦ Read more: #18: Senate Estimates - #19: BACās Chairman David Peever
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #19 ā BACās Chairman David Peever Former Rio Tinto boss and now Brisbane Airport Corporation Chairman David Peever ā of Cricket Australia āfameā ā has been ignoring complaints sent to him from thousands of Brisbane families and communities negatively affected by the excessive aircraft noise pollution from Brisbane Airport’s flight paths following a misleading Environmental Impactā¦ Read more: #19: BACās Chairman David Peever - #20: Aircraft Noise and Your Mental Health
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #20 ā Aircraft Noise and Your Mental Health Aircraft noise can no longer be considered simply as an inconvenience to peopleās lives. Major studies have concluded that aircraft noise is negatively affecting peopleās health and quality of life. Exposure to aircraft noise can lead to short-term responsesā¦ Read more: #20: Aircraft Noise and Your Mental Health - #21: Buck passing
Who can relate? Register for the BFPCA protest: Discuss this in the BFPCA Facebook group: - #22: Drones & Air Taxis
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #22 ā Drones & Air Taxis We are asking everyone to send a new complaint ā this time about drones and air taxis. Read on to find out how you can help prevent the noise pollution problem from getting even worse in Brisbane. Catherine King,ā¦ Read more: #22: Drones & Air Taxis - #23: ATC shortages to delay noise improvements
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #23 ā ATC shortages to delay noise improvements Courier Mail reported that Civil Air Australia, the air traffic controllers’ union, estimates itĀ could take years to implement the PIR flight path changes due to chronic staff shortagesĀ in the Brisbane control tower. Why are there chronic staffā¦ Read more: #23: ATC shortages to delay noise improvements - #24: Greenwashing
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #25 ā Greenwashing The aviation industry’s widespread greenwashing is an issue we should pay attention to. Why? Two reasons: 1. It provides further evidence that they are lying and misleading consumers with false claims. 2. Greenwashing makes uncritical consumers feel good about unsustainable consumption choices soā¦ Read more: #24: Greenwashing - #25: The Aviation Industry’s Trail of Deception
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #25 ā The Aviation Industry’s Trail of Deception The aviation industry has left a trail of deception in its wake. Over time and in various locations across Australia, the industry has repeatedly employed trickery and misleading tactics, disregarding the concerns and well-being of local communities. Disturbingly,ā¦ Read more: #25: The Aviation Industry’s Trail of Deception - #26: Brisbane Airport wants to gag noise complainants
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #26 ā Brisbane Airport wants to gag noise complainants On 10 Dec 2021, Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) submitted a request to Brisbane City Council urging them to require the registration of a covenant that will restrict future home buyers from making aircraft noise complaints at the $63ā¦ Read more: #26: Brisbane Airport wants to gag noise complainants - #27: The flawed airport consultation groups
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #27 ā The flawed airport consultation groups All major airports in Australia were told by the then Commonwealth Government in 2011 that they had to establish so-called “Community Aviation Consultation Groups” (CACGs). The idea was to pretend to be listening to community concerns but inā¦ Read more: #27: The flawed airport consultation groups - #28: Flight counter inaccurate
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #28 ā Flight counter inaccurate Brisbane Airport’s Runway Usage Tool is supposed to keep track of the number of flight movements for the public to view and query on BAC’s website. Since September 2022, BAC and Airservices Australia have been providing dodgy flight movement data, whichā¦ Read more: #28: Flight counter inaccurate - #29: It’s our bread & butter
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #29 ā It’s our bread & butter Tonight, we ask you to post in the comments your favourite adjective to describe Airservices’ conduct. But first, have a read of this: BFPCA’s early community advocacy and pressure throughout 2020/2021 led to then Transport Minister Barnaby Joyce givingā¦ Read more: #29: It’s our bread & butter - #30: Why 50% over the Bay is a Fail
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #30 ā Why 50% over the Bay is a Fail Tonight’s protest reason is the 30th, so we are at the half way mark, and the protest is in a month’s time! Have you registered yet? Please do so now so we can gauge numbers.ā¦ Read more: #30: Why 50% over the Bay is a Fail - #31: Is it news or is it PR?
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #31 ā Is it news or is it PR? Brisbane Airport Corporation and Airservices Australia spend a lot of money on PR professionals. What is PR? Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the communication and relationship between an organisations and its various stakeholders,ā¦ Read more: #31: Is it news or is it PR? - #32: Airport Capacity Declaration
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #32 ā Airport Capacity Declaration One of BFPCA’s eight key demands is to demand that Minister Catherine King issues anĀ Airport Capacity DeclarationĀ for Brisbane Airport of 45 flights an hour as provided for under theĀ Airports ActĀ 1996, Section 195, in order to provide Brisbane families and communitiesā¦ Read more: #32: Airport Capacity Declaration - #33: High-speed rail anyone?
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #33 ā High-speed rail anyone? Several countries around the world have high-speed rail networks. The development of high-speed rail has become increasingly important as countries seek to reduce carbon emissions, improve the efficiency of their transportation systems, and curb the excessive noise pollution from flightā¦ Read more: #33: High-speed rail anyone? - #34: CASA’s role
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #34 ā CASA’s role We have been mainly focussing our attention on Minister Catherine King as the overall person responsible for upholding the aviation legislation, for her Department’s Aviation branch, for the regulatory oversight over Airservices, for being the landlord of the Crown land leasedā¦ Read more: #34: CASA’s role - #35: Barnaby’s “Community” Forum
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #35 ā Barnaby’s “Community” Forum Do you remember BAPAF ā the Brisbane Airport Post-Implementation Review Advisory Forum? In response to community pressure and advocacy from BFPCA, then Deputy PM and Minister for Infrastructure & Transport Barnaby Joyce (Nationals) announced BAPAF on 24 Sep 2021 inā¦ Read more: #35: Barnaby’s “Community” Forum - #36: Lies & Deceit
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #36 ā Lies & Deceit Today’s protest reason is short and sweet, and brought to you by Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff himself. This is what he had to say on 7NEWS on 21 Feb 2020 prior to the launch of the Newā¦ Read more: #36: Lies & Deceit - #37: How our curfew was stolen
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #37 ā How our curfew was stolen Have you seen those silly comments from the usual trolls saying, “The airport was there before you”…? Well, two facts: (1) Brisbane Airport in its current location only opened on 19 March 1988. Before that, Brisbane was serviced by the Eagleā¦ Read more: #37: How our curfew was stolen - #38: Air Pollution
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #38 ā Air Pollution We talk mainly about noise pollution and its damaging effect on health and wellbeing as well as jeopardising the learning abilities in children. But we shouldn’t forget the detrimental impact of the aviation industry’s air pollution on health and wellbeing either.ā¦ Read more: #38: Air Pollution - #39: How’s the serenity?
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #39 ā How’s the serenity? The Queensland Government has announced Northshore Hamilton as the location for the main athlete village for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The athletes’ village will host more than 10,000 athletes and team officials for the Olympic Games and more thanā¦ Read more: #39: How’s the serenity? - #40: Refusal to Issue Ministerial Directions
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #40 ā Refusal to Issue a Ministerial Direction Two of BFPCA’s eight key demands entail issuingĀ Ministerial DirectionsĀ to Airservices Australia. So what is a Ministerial Direction and why does it matter? A Ministerial Direction is a legally binding instruction given by a government minister to a government agencyā¦ Read more: #40: Refusal to Issue Ministerial Directions - #41: Violation of the Air Services Act 1995
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #41 ā Violation of the Air Services Act 1995 Today’s protest reason is short ‘n sweet yet as upsetting as all the others. Read Ā§9 of the Air Services Act 1995 and cast your vote in the poll: Ā§9 Manner in which AA must performā¦ Read more: #41: Violation of the Air Services Act 1995 - #42: Political Donations
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #42 ā Political Donations Most parties receive large sums of donations from corporations to help fund their election campaigns and day-to-day activities. In return, those corporate donors get access to politicians and directly influence their policy platforms. They sit with them at fancy “fundraising” luncheons, cash-for-access dinners,ā¦ Read more: #42: Political Donations - #43: Aircraft noise impacts on wildlife
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #43 ā Aircraft noise impacts on wildlife We highly recommend to you the new ABC documentary, The Secret Lives of Our Urban Birds. Episode 2 features Brisbane including an interview with ornithologist Dr Dominique Potvin at UniSC who studies the impact of urban noise on songbirds. Did youā¦ Read more: #43: Aircraft noise impacts on wildlife - #44: Noise levies
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #44 ā Noise levies One of our 8 key demands has been to declare Brisbane Airport a leviable airport under the existing (!) Aircraft Noise Levy Act 1995 to impose and collect aircraft noise levies. These levies are to be distributed as compensation to all Brisbane residentsā¦ Read more: #44: Noise levies - #45: Dirty Flight Paths
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #45 ā Dirty š© Flight Paths The new flight paths were designed to be lower than they are at other airports. What happened? Airservices have confirmed in Senate Estimates that they have not only received thousands of complaints from people living across 226 suburbs (there areā¦ Read more: #45: Dirty Flight Paths - #46: Flight path noise pollution’s impact on children
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #46 ā Flight path noise pollution’s impact on children Do you have children or grandchildren? Did you know: While children may not complain about aircraft noise, scientific research has confirmed that clinical effects and negative health impacts occur regardless of whether a person finds loud noise annoying.ā¦ Read more: #46: Flight path noise pollution’s impact on children - #47: Misleading data & flawed engagement
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #47 ā Misleading data & flawed engagement Both Airservices and BAC have argued that they have “consulted widely” in the lead-up to the 2020 launch of Brisbane’s new flight path architecture. Have you received any honest, easy-to-understand and accurate information? For example: Compare this with Airservices’ “Commitmentā¦ Read more: #47: Misleading data & flawed engagement - #48: Property Devaluations
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #48 ā Property Devaluations In 2013 Brisbane Airport Corporation paid for a study into “the potential impact of aircraft noise on Brisbane residential property prices in response to community concerns about the impact of flight paths and aircraft noise on property value.” The study foundā¦ Read more: #48: Property Devaluations - #49: No Incentives for Reducing Aviation Noise
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #49 ā No Incentives for Reducing Aviation Noise Are you also able to tell a Jetstar plane from the rest of them? BFPCA has heard many complaints about a particularĀ high-pitch, annoying sound emanating from the Airbus A320 family of aircraft. It’s the main one Jetstarā¦ Read more: #49: No Incentives for Reducing Aviation Noise - #50: 110 flights an hour
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #50 ā 110 flights an hour Brisbane Airport’s aggressive growth trajectory is set to outstrip Sydney as Australiaās busiest airport and be on par with Hong Kong and Singapore. BAC aims forĀ 50 million passengersĀ by 2035 or sooner. That equates toĀ 110 aircraft movements an hour. Weā¦ Read more: #50: 110 flights an hour - #51: Noise Sharing
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #51 ā Noise Sharing Related to today’s news media frenzy about Airservices proposing flight path change options is protest reason #51: Airservices rejecting the communtiy’s demands for actual net reductions and instead proposing (AND already adopting!) noise sharing as their preferred option. While Airservices keepā¦ Read more: #51: Noise Sharing - #52: ANO Report
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #52 ā ANO Report While yesterday’s reason #53 about the cross-runway was quite a long read, tonight we do aĀ #ThrowBackThursdayĀ to revisit the gobsmacking findings uncovered in the original Aircraft Noise Ombudsman (ANO) report from August 2021. Do have a read of our original press releaseā¦ Read more: #52: ANO Report - #53: What happened to the cross-runway?
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #53 ā What happened to the cross-runway? With the launch of the New Parallel Runway, Brisbane Airport’s cross-runway (14/32, see photo below) was decommissioned. What happened? A cross-runway design can help to reduce aircraft noise pollution much better than a parallel runway design by changing the direction ofā¦ Read more: #53: What happened to the cross-runway? - #54: Complaints to Airservices go nowhere
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #54 ā Complaints to Airservices go nowhere Airservices Australia systematically stonewalls community members with legitimate complaints about aircraft noise. Community complaints manuals obtained by BFPCA through Freedom of Information requests show how Airservices staff are instructed toĀ provide pre-scripted answersĀ designed to quash complaints and prevent them fromā¦ Read more: #54: Complaints to Airservices go nowhere - #55: The limited scope of the PIR
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #55 ā The limited scope of the PIR Not only are Airservices masters of “engagement theatre,” they also have made sure all the essential net noise reduction measures are excluded from scope. Why? “The long-term benefits of Brisbaneās parallel runway system will only be realisedĀ ifā¦ Read more: #55: The limited scope of the PIR - #56: Who wants to live in an Aerotropolis?
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #56 ā Who wants to live in an Aerotropolis? Royal Schiphol Group and specifically BAC have long been guided by the vision of turning their host city into an āaerotropolisā ā a concept originally proposed by Dr John Kasarda, president and CEO of Aerotropolis Businessā¦ Read more: #56: Who wants to live in an Aerotropolis? - #57: Sydney got what Brisbane wants
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #57 ā Sydney got what Brisbane wants Did you know Sydneysiders enjoy: Brisbanites do not enjoy any of this. Let’s change that, and make sure Brisbane is not treated by Catherine King MP like a second class city. Register for the BFPCA protest: Discuss thisā¦ Read more: #57: Sydney got what Brisbane wants - #58: Aviation Noise is Unregulated
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #58 ā Aviation Noise is Unregulated Construction noise on a Sunday? Neighbours having a loud party after 10pm? Dog barking before 7am? Concerned about the adjacent road, highway, rail line? There are strict local and state government regulations for all sorts of noise pollution. Evenā¦ Read more: #58: Aviation Noise is Unregulated - #59: Engagement Theatre
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #59 ā Engagement Theatre It’s been now more than 1,000 days (1,005 to be precise) since the new flight path architecture launched and started to inflict misery on families and communities across 226 suburbs of Greater Brisbane who now find themselves stuck in BAC’s noiseā¦ Read more: #59: Engagement Theatre - #60: The removal of SODPROPS
60 Reasons to Protest: Reason #60 ā The removal of SODPROPS Today it’ll be 60 days until the first BFPCA protest. We’ll be posting a new reason to protest every day counting down to the 10th June 2023. This is a good refresher for all our new members and followersā¦ Read more: #60: The removal of SODPROPS