Australia's transport minister has declined to neither confirm nor deny that an air force base on the outskirts of Sydney may temporarily become the city's second major commercial airport.
A report in The Sydney Morning Herald, citing unnamed sources, says next month the Federal Government will announce that the Richmomd air force base will be named as a temporary site for a second airport.
Sydney Airport is currently the city's only major commercial airport but the transport minister and others in the government are renewing efforts to find a location for a second major airport for Sydney.
Having Richmond serve as a commercial airport temporarily will relieve pressure on Sydney Airport until a permanent location is found, says the report.
The transport minister, Anthony Albanese, has issued a statement in response to the newspaper report.
He says a national aviation policy white paper will be released shortly and that this paper will outline how the federal and state government plan to identify potential sites for a second airport in Sydney.
But he did not say if Richmond is poised to become a temporary solution.
The Government "will not engage in speculation about individual locations", says Albanese.
A spokeswoman for the minister also told ATI that talk of Richmond is purely speculative.
Albanese has lobbied for years for a second airport in Sydney.
His constituents, who live next to Sydney Airport, have long complained about noise pollution and congestion.
A plan to build a second airport at Badgerys Creek was shelved years ago after opposition from residents and local governments.
Albanese says the study will also consider the future of the Badgerys Creek site, now that it is no longer in the running to be Sydney's second airport.
"This will focus on how the site can provide a stimulus for jobs and economic development for western Sydney," he says.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news