Latest news with #GreaterSydney
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Western Sydney International Airport unveiled ahead of opening, though stumbling blocks remain
Despite Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) being close to completion, two obstacles remain, including just how many airline carriers are willing to fly into the precinct, 44 kilometres from the city's CBD. Major construction is now complete, with the terminal at Badgerys Creek unveiled on Wednesday. WSI CEO Simon Hickey said the "24-hour international gateway" terminal would create "significant economic opportunities for all of Greater Sydney". The airport itself is on track to open for domestic, international, and air cargo services in late 2026, though clarity on addressing the key drawbacks remain up in the air. So far, only four airlines have confirmed their plans to operate out of WSI — two of those being Australia's Qantas and Jetstar. The third, Singapore Airlines, announced their intention back in August 2024, and the fourth, Air New Zealand, was announced on Wednesday by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. At Sydney Airport in Mascot, over 50 airlines fly in and out, the vast majority being overseas carriers. A delayed Western Sydney Airport Metro Line is likely a thorn in the side of WSI's grand plans. The first tracks have been laid on this Metro line, but visitors to WSI won't be able to use this service until at least April 2027. Despite a delayed Metro line and a limit of confirmed airline carriers, the $5.3 billion investment in the airport's build is visible. As Australia's first new greenfield international airport in more than 50 years, WSI's design is sustainability-focused, according to the architects behind the project. Over 6,000 solar panels are affixed to its roof to provide energy efficiency and renewable electricity in a bid to reduce the airport's carbon footprint. Collected rainfall on-site will also be recycled for use in the airport's bathrooms, irrigation systems and cooling towers. Mr Hickey said the design had taken inspiration from "iconic vistas" around Western and Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, and sandstone materials also sourced from the Central Coast. With construction mostly finalised, the fit-out of the terminal's retail precinct and airline lounges will take place closer to the airport's opening, said a WSI spokesperson, with commercial tenders contracts still to be finalised. When asked by 702 ABC Radio Sydney if WSI would be the most "Instagrammable terminal in Australia", he agreed. "It's an exciting day for Western Sydney," he said.
ABC News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Liberal Gisele Kapterian wins Sydney seat of Bradfield in tight contest against independent Nicolette Boele
Liberal Gisele Kapterian has won the seat of Bradfield on Sydney's north shore by a margin of a few hundred votes, the ABC projects. Ms Kapterian has beaten out Climate 200 group-backed independent Nicolette Boele, who failed in her second attempt to win the seat. Ms Boele looked likely to finally win the historically safe Liberal seat left vacant by retiring MP Paul Fletcher until votes swung back towards Ms Kapterian late last week. She had come close to ousting the Liberals in 2022 and spent the past three years campaigning to win the seat. A recount had looked likely in the days after the polls closed, with the margin between the pair swaying in and out of the 100 vote threshold required by the Australian Electoral Commission to force scrutineers back to a second count. Securing Bradfield gives the Liberal Party just five seats in Greater Sydney and seven of the 46 federal electorates in the state. ABC election analyst Anthony Green said there are only around 1,000 votes left to be counted and Ms Kapterian will win the seat. She currently has a lead of 219 votes. The win means the Coalition will have at least 41 seats when the next parliament begins, with just a handful of seats across the country remaining too close to call. Neither candidate has claimed victory nor conceded defeat. Ms Boele managed to make it a tighter race than 2022, shoring up about 2.5 per cent swing in her favour. Her run at federal parliament was backed by the same Climate 200 group spearheading several campaigns of teal independents across the country. Ms Boele entered politics after a career in clean energy and climate change policy and spent the last 10 years as an executive targeting responsible investment. Ms Kapterian made her tilt at Bradfield after initially being preselected for the seat of North Sydney. She fended off her Bradfield preselection rival Warren Mundine to earn a spot on the ballot, despite the latter having strong backing from conservative Liberals, including from key supporter Tony Abbott. Before entering politics, Ms Kapterian enjoyed a distinguished legal career that included stints prosecuting war crimes in Ethiopia and in international trade in London and Geneva. Until 2022 Bradfield had long been considered a safe Liberal seat, until the wave of independents interstate saw popularity for the movement on Sydney's north shore grow.
ABC News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Liberal Giselse Kapterian wins Sydney seat of Bradfield in tight contest against independent Nicolette Boele
Liberal Giselse Kapterian has won the seat of Bradfield on Sydney's north shore by a margin of a few hundred votes, the ABC projects. Ms Kapterian has beaten out Climate 200 group-backed independent Nicolette Boele, who failed in her second attempt to win the seat. Ms Boele looked likely to finally win the historically safe Liberal seat left vacant by retiring MP Paul Fletcher until votes swung back towards Ms Kapterian late last week. She had come close to ousting the Liberals in 2022 and spent the past three years campaigning to win the seat. A recount had looked likely in the days after the polls closed, with the margin between the pair swaying in and out of the 100 vote threshold required by the Australian Electoral Commission to force scrutineers back to a second count. This will give the Liberal Party just five seats in Greater Sydney and seven in the state. ABC election analyst Anthony Green said there are only around 1,000 votes left to be counted and Ms Kapterian will win the seat. She currently has a lead of 228 votes. The win means the Coalition will have at least 41 seats when the next parliament begins, with just a handful of seats across the country remaining too close to call. Ms Boele managed to make it a tighter race than 2022, shoring up about 2.5 per cent swing in her favour. Her run at federal parliament was backed by the same Climate 200 group spearheading several campaigns of teal independents across the country. Ms Boele entered politics after a career in clean energy and climate change policy and spent the last 10 years as an executive targeting responsible investment. Ms Kapterian made her tilt at Bradfield after initially being preselected for the seat of North Sydney. She fended off her Bradfield preselection rival Warren Mundine to earn a spot on the ballot, despite the latter having strong backing from conservative Liberals, including from key supporter Tony Abbott. Before entering politics, Ms Kapterian enjoyed a distinguished legal career that included stints prosecuting war crimes in Ethiopia and in international trade in London and Geneva. Until 2022 Bradfield had long been considered a safe Liberal seat, until the wave of independents interstate saw popularity for the movement on Sydney's north shore grow.
