The Hon. AILEEN MacDONALD (10:13): I move:

(1)That this House notes that:

(a)Newcastle Airport has officially opened its new arrivals and international terminal, delivered ahead of schedule, marking a transformational infrastructure milestone for the Hunter region and New South Wales;

(b)the terminal expansion more than doubles Newcastle's passenger capacity, enabling growth from about 1.2 million to over 2.5 million annual passengers, and includes swing-gate functionality to transition between domestic and international operations;

(c)key features include the airport's first aerobridge, upgraded arrivals hall with digital wayfinding, enhanced pick‑up zones, improved connections from carpark to gate, runway upgrades to support wide-body aircraft, and sustainability credentials (including target of 5-Star Green Star, and leveraging the airport's existing Level 4+ Airport Carbon Accreditation);

(d)the project was the result of four years of work involving over 2,000 workers and more than 314,000 construction hours, and is projected to generate around 4,400 long-term jobs and contribute approximately $12.7 billion in economic activity for the Hunter region over 20 years;

(e)more than 300 guests attended the official launch, which included a Royal Australian Air Force fly-by, Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony by Worimi Elders, and participation of community leaders; and

(f)in April 2022 the coalition Federal Government provided significant funding support of $55 million toward the terminal development, underlining the national importance of this regional aviation expansion.

(2)That this House congratulates Newcastle Airport, its team, contractors, regional partners, and all workers involved in delivering this major infrastructure project, acknowledges that the expanded terminal will strengthen the Hunter's connectivity, trade, tourism and economic resilience, and affirms its support for leveraging this facility to unlock further growth for the people of the region.

Motion agreed to.