Brisbane City Council opposes airport curfew Brisbane City Council is opposing an airport curfew Photo: Glenn Hunt Brisbane City Council remains bitterly divided over the possible introduction of a curfew at the city's airport. A feisty debate over the long-running issue ensued between Liberal National and Labor Party councillors at Tuesday's council meeting, after finance committee chairman Julian Simmonds moved an urgency motion to formally lodge City Hall's opposition to the move. Cr Simmonds moved the motion in response to weekend media reports in which former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called for a two-year trial that would ban Brisbane air traffic between 11pm and 6am once the airport's new parallel runway opens in 2020. A federal transport department committee examined the possibility in an investigation that concluded at the end of October. A recommendation is yet to be made. Cr Simmonds cited severe economic impact for the administration's opposition to a curfew, leading to a lengthy debate with ALP councillor Shayne Sutton, a long-time advocate for the move. "It's very disappointing when you see the Labor Party continually playing politics with the economic growth of our city," Cr Simmonds said. It will cost jobs, future growth and there will be 216,000 people that won't be coming to Brisbane to spend money in our retail outlets. City Hall has previously said a curfew would cost the city's economy an estimated $1.3 billion by 2029. In response, Cr Sutton said the move was about far more than just Brisbane's finances. "A curfew is the responsible thing to do, it is a balance," she said. It is a balance between the economic growth this city needs to achieve and the support that needs to be given to those families living under the flight paths. Cr Sutton reminded the LNP councillors that a curfew introduced at Sydney airport had one of the party's most powerful members in favour of its introduction. "The Sydney airport curfew was supported by (former prime minister) John Howard and the Sydney economy did not grind to a halt," she said. If it is good enough for Sydney, it is good enough for Brisbane. We need to protect our residents and the minute our city is hijacked by money, by simply the need for money, that is where we have gone in the wrong direction. Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner said a wealth of research pointed to the economic importance of keeping Brisbane airport a 24 hour operation. The reality is the majority of complaints received about aircraft noise are received between 6pm and 9pm and guess what? If you put a curfew in, there's going to be even more flights during those periods," he said. This administration fully supports no curfew for the airport. Opposition Leader Milton Dick accused the LNP councillors of overstating the impact. "We are talking about eight flights between 11pm and 6am," he said. Listening to the LNP you would think that with a trial, the entire Brisbane and Queensland economy would come to a standstill. Cr Dick said they had based their entire submission on a suggestion by a federal backbencher, Mr Rudd. "You are in charge of what happens now," he said, referring to the federal Coalition government. They are now threatened by a motion moved by a federal backbencher. The fact the LNP are hanging this entire notion on a submission from a federal backbencher shows how ridiculous and out of touch these people are.