Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor have welcomed the opening of Western Sydney International Airport, presenting the new facility as a major milestone for the region’s transport links, jobs and future development.
Speaking during Question Time on Monday, Albanese said the airport would shift more of Sydney’s growth and attention towards the west, rather than concentrating it around the city’s eastern side and harbour. He congratulated the people who had worked on the project over many years.
“What it does is turn Sydney westward rather than just towards the east and the harbour,” Albanese said, describing the airport as a potential driver of jobs and growth across Western Sydney.
Taylor also welcomed the opening, saying he was delighted the airport was located in his electorate of Hume. He described it as a milestone for Western Sydney and pointed to the transport connections and development opportunities it could bring as the new city precinct grows.
The leaders’ comments followed the start of passenger operations at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport on Sunday, 25 October. The first passenger service was a Jetstar flight to the Gold Coast. On Monday, Air New Zealand’s service from Auckland became the airport’s first international arrival, with the return flight launching the first international route from the new facility.
Located at Badgerys Creek, around 45 kilometres from Sydney’s central business district, the airport is designed to operate around the clock, unlike Sydney Airport, which has a night-time curfew. The federal government says the new gateway will add aviation capacity and support jobs, investment and economic growth across Western Sydney.
The project has been decades in the making, with years of planning and construction before passenger services began. Its initial operations will expand over time as airlines add routes. Singapore Airlines is scheduled to begin direct services to Singapore in November, according to the government’s published timetable.
While both major-party leaders welcomed the project, the airport’s long-term impact will depend on how quickly passenger numbers grow, how many routes airlines introduce and how transport links to the wider Sydney network develop. The airport is expected to play a growing role in the region’s economy, but those benefits will emerge over time rather than immediately at opening.
Australia By Aussie has also examined whether the new airport will mean cheaper flights for travellers. Read our related report: Western Sydney Airport: Are Flights Really Cheaper for Travellers?
