State demands new airport as Galaxy-Daily Telegraph poll finds three in four ... - The Australian

Crunch time: Politicians need to decide on second airport. Source: AFP

THREE out of four people in Sydney and NSW want a second airport for Sydney, an exclusive Galaxy-Daily Telegraph poll has found, in a wake-up call for politicians who have squabbled for decades over building the transport hub.

Seventy-six per cent of people said they supported a second hub, with only 16 per cent opposed and 8 per cent uncommitted, the poll of 400 people conducted over the weekend found.

But the question of where it should be built caused the most debate; 29 per cent wanted an international terminal at Newcastle or on the Central Coast and 23 per cent wanted it at Badgerys Creek, where the Hawke government bought land more than 20 years ago.

Of other sites, Premier Barry O'Farrell's preferred location of expanding Canberra gained 18 per cent support, with 15 per cent wanting it at the RAAF Base Richmond and 11 per cent uncommitted.

In a blow to federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese's plans to build a second airport at Wilton in Sydney's southwest - a less politically contentious site - just 4 per cent of those polled saw it as their preferred option.

Support for the airport was virtually the same among Sydney residents (76 per cent as for those in regional and rural NSW (75 per cent). There was also agreement about the need for a second airport among supporters of both the Labor Party (79 per cent) and Coalition (76 per cent).

Galaxy pollster David Briggs said the poll highlighted just how contentious the issue was for state and federal governments. "There's widespread support for a second airport ... the problem is where it is going to go," Mr Briggs said. "Clearly people have heard the message over time we need a (second) airport."

Both Mr Albanese and shadow treasurer Joe Hockey have lobbied strongly for a second Sydney airport.

The joint federal-state study into Sydney's aviation capacity last year recommended an airport at Badgerys Creek.

But Mr Albanese has steered away from that because NSW Labor's head office opposes it and believes it would cost the federal government crucial western Sydney seats. Mr Albanese has instead set up a study into an airport at Wilton.

Sydney Airports chair Max Moore-Wilton said last month he that he was told by Mr Hockey a second airport would get the go-ahead under a Coalition government - a move he labelled "irresponsible". Mr Hockey told said at the time that: "The suggestion that (an airport at) Badgerys Creek is going to disadvantage western Sydney is just rubbish."