I am bemused as to why, on its own, Canberra and the surrounding region needs a 24/7 airfreight hub.
We are not an industrial region as such, and most, nearly all, of our freight imports and exports come by road.
As announced, this will shortly include petroleum products from Sydney, currently transported by rail! The big markets to our north and south are Sydney and Melbourne, respectively.
Melbourne has a 24/7 international airport but Sydney does not it has, and doubtlessly will continue to have, a curfew from 11pm until 6am.
So is the purpose of the Canberra 24/7 hub to allow inbound Sydney air freight traffic to land at Canberra instead at any time after 11pm discharge cargo, then load up, refuel and depart before 6am? Then, after 6 am, will different aircraft then haul that freight to Sydney, or will it go by road?
It seems to me that operation of a Canberra 24/7 hub would necessarily involve a lot of expensive double-handling of freight, and a probable increase in road haulage, both of which are far from desirable!
Paul E. Bowler, Holder
I don't think Shane Rattenbury (''Big risks in new airport plan'', September1, p11) need worry too much about losing sleep in the near future due to night-time comings and goings at Canberra airport.
The recently approved 20-year outline for development of the airport, especially its use as a freight hub, has no more chance of becoming reality than the many pronouncements by the owners about the airport becoming an international airport. Remember the fate of direct flights to Fiji?
Rattenbury is right when he queries the lack of firm data in support of the airport development plans aside, of course, from the continued expansion of non-airport (office and retailing) development .
Indeed Canberra airport, and certainly the new terminal, continues to remind me of the Texas saying: ''All hat and no cattle''.
E.L. Fisher, Kambah
When federal minister Albanese approved the Canberra airport 20-year master plan he said, ''The number of jobs at Canberra Airport is expected to increase from 8,000 to 25,000 over the next 20 years with continued development.''
That's straight out of the airport's 2009 master plan. But that includes all the public servants who now work at the airport and the many more to be moved there. Hardly ''airport'' jobs.
We expect a tad more independence from our ministers and advisers.
David Hope, Queanbeyan, NSW
I would like to register my utter disbelief, disappointment and disgust at our politicians' disregard for their Canberra region constituents.
It would seem to me and the large number of people I speak to that, by endorsing a 24-hour freight and passenger hub for Canberra airport, the federal Minister for Infrastructure and all those others who have encouraged him to approve this travesty of rights are sending the message that Canberra's population and those living in the surrounding areas are nothing but second-class citizens it's okay for Sydney and Melbourne to have a curfew, but not us.
But beyond having old noisy jumbos flying in all night long, how will the freight get to Sydney? By road of course! We don't seem to have a railway that works nor any plans for one in the future.
I can just imagine the speeding/duelling monster trucks with tight schedules and heavy loads causing more accidents through fatigue and increased driver frustration.
On whose head will the inevitable extra deaths be?
Anthony Albanese/John Stanhope please explain.
What is this all about anyway ''greater economic benefits for Canberra'' or making rich people richer?
It would seem to me that a fast train would be a much better investment for the future of Canberra, and that keeping true to the ''bush capital'' vision is worth more than the promised 30 pieces of silver.
R.W. North, Canberra City
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