Wellington International Airport should have consulted with the community about the DMAPs flight path change. It did not. Find out more - visit tinyurl.com/PlaneSenseFAQ1. This time it’s our community. Next time it could be yours. More in the comments.
The affected residents have always had a legitimate expectation that Wellington International Airport, having public law responsibilities, would carry out such consultation prior to any proposal to divert aircraft over their suburbs. The consultation now offered was required by law prior to development of the DMAPS concept.
Looking through Airways New Zealand OIA documents Plane Sense received, we found references to community consultation as long ago as November 2021, but alongside that was mention that the local community could be a "roadblock", suggestions that "impact frequently comes down to perception, influenced by publicity", and "Airways would like this implemented in December this year. We (Wellington Airport) therefore need this work reasonably quickly!" Even the Airnoise Committee meeting minutes don't reference the DMAPs flight path change until March 2023, after implementation. The first communication went up on the Wellington Airport website on 20 December 2022, a day after the first known complaint was made.
Understandably, residents are angry about the lack of courtesy, consistency, professionalism and regard for our community and affected individuals. We believe the organisations have been cavalier with residents' health and well-being.
Plane Sense is holding Wellington International Airport, Airways New Zealand, Civil Aviation Authority of NZ and Wellington City Council (as a shareholder) to account for a change that happened over the northern suburbs on 1 December 2022. As well as significant legal issues, there are public health and safety concerns for residents and our local environment. Plane Sense is fundraising to commence a judicial review. Have questions? Find out more and support us today - planesensewellington.com/faqs
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Airways New Zealand is required to consider the best interests of the community. It didn’t. Find out more. This time it’s our community. Next time it could be yours. Support us.
Official Information documents indicate that Airways (and its subsidiary Aeropath Limited) designed and promulgated the DMAPS flight path on technical grounds without regard to section 4(1)(c) of the State-owned Enterprises Act 1986, namely that it is required to be “...an organisation that exhibits a sense of social responsibility by having regard to the interests of the community in which it operates and by endeavouring to accommodate or encourage these when able to do so.” These words mean that Airways New Zealand owed and still owes procedural fairness and substantive obligations to affected residents independently of the Airport’s obligations.
This is one of many issues with the 1 December 2022 flight path change, including legal and safety concerns involving Wellington International Airport, Civil Aviation Authority of NZ and Wellington City Council (as a shareholder). Find out more - tinyurl.com/PlaneSenseFAQ2. The community is currently fundraising to fund a Judicial Review - please support us.
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