Canberra, Sept 3^rd, 1997:

The Federal Government today announced that it had abandoned the Holsworthy area as a site for Sydney's Second Airport.

Opponents of the divisive Holsworthy proposal can celebrate this success, but the coast is not yet clear for the people of Bankstown, or inner and Western Sydney.

At the recent No Holsworthy rally, the Liberal Member for Hughes raised a divisive plan to expand Mascot and transfer commercial domestic aircraft into Bankstown.

We may have saved Holsworthy, but the prospect of 737's and 767's at Bankstown airport looms large in some crazy minds.

Don't think that the issue of flight connections will rule it out.

A Summary of the Draft EIS released in conjunction with today's announcement identifies Dallas having a situation like this.

Even if Badgerys Ck is built, there will be threats to Bankstown. It will impact on Bankstown Airport - although the summary EIS doesn't have the honesty to describe how. What are they scared of ?

This and other hazards uncovered by the EIS for Badgerys show it is no longer a suitable airport site and presents unacceptable risk to all of Sydney.

This leaves the Mascot-Bankstown expansion by default as a strong do-nothing likelihood, which the EIS to date fails to evaluate.

Bankstown residents should be vigilant and demand that the Mascot-Bankstown option be put-to-rest like Holsworthy, before finalization of this EIS. Write a letter to your local member, and Minister for Transport. Tell them it's not on !