Australian PM announces second airport for Sydney

Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott stated (15-Apr-2014) a second airport would be constructed in Sydney at Badgerys Creek, approximately 50km west of the Sydney CBD. Planning and design works will commence immediately, and construction is expected to begin in 2016 for a completion date in "the mid 2020's". Mr Abbott said: "There will be some expense to the Commonwealth in terms of planning and design, but the AUD2.5 billion (USD2.3 billion) - which is widely quoted as the cost of building the airport itself - is something that will come from the private sector." Mr Abbott said no decision had been made on a curfew for the new airport. Government projections predict the airport will sustain 35,000 jobs by 2035 and by 2060 the airport could drive GDP growth worth AUD24 billion (USD22.5 billion). [more - original PR]