Just Plane Wrong

This petition of residents of Dunalley, Murdunna, Connelly's Marsh, Boomer Bay, Marion Bay, Copping, Bream Creek and Kellevie and supporters draws to your attention that on 14 September, Commonwealth agency Airservices Australia introduced new standardized flight paths for planes arriving at Hobart Airport without public notice or consultation.

Consequently, up to thirty flights per day are now on a descent flight path, at approximately 5000 feet directly over, or immediately adjacent to our previously peaceful rural and coastal communities, most of which have never been previously overflown by commercial jet aircraft. More flights are planned once the Hobart Airport runway extension opens in March 2018, including heavy freight and direct international traffic. Hobart airport has no curfew, so these flights could arrive at any time of the day or night.

This significant change to Hobart's airspace was implemented without consultation with affected residents and businesses – in contravention of Airservices’s own Communication and Consultation Protocol.

Our local economy, still recovering from devastating bushfires in 2013, relies on our reputation as a pristine and tranquil area for tourism and agricultural industries such as wine, oysters and other seafood, dairy, cattle, goats and gourmet potatoes. Our beautiful and calm environment attracts people seeking to escape a noisy city lifestyle, both as visitors and residents.

We believe that we should have been consulted about the potential detriment to our economy, lifestyle, property values, health and the environment before such a significant decision was made.