One could be forgiven for experiencing surprise and disbelief after reading your article in last week’s MNW about the need for the $6.4m “upgraded” runway requiring four yearly reseals at huge costs. Then on the other hand, some people won’t find this surprising at all and are worried the community will be asked again to pour money into getting the runway right.
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Even the unneeded runway extension got a mention as well. On that point, when is council going to finally understand that as soon as they extend the runway they must move Arthur Kaine drive and widen the rest of the runway at great cost! This requirement is well documented by one of the many consultants engaged by our council but ignored.
The Merimbula Airport Users Group would welcome a successful infrastructure grant from either federal or state government and believe that these grants are more likely to be successful if the airport was under council control and management. We would hope that any monies received would be used where needed and not wasted on projects based on the “build it and they will come” mentality.
A case in point is the thought that money should be spent on a baggage screening facility. This need would be fine if an increase in passenger numbers through Merimbula were to create a demand for the need for compliance but the opposite is the case at the moment.
MAUG has always maintained that any development at Merimbula Airport should be triggered by demand. Even the Council’s master plan has trigger points and if the passenger numbers grow to those numbers, funding would flow from all areas.
Rex Koerbin
Merimbula Airport Users Group
