As from today all public statements on the draft Environmental Impact Statement for Sydney's second international airport should be made by the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning, the Hon C J Knowles MP or the Premier.

An Inter-Departmental Committee is to be established under the Urban Management Committee of Cabinet.

Each agency represented on that IDC will prepare an initial briefing for their Minister within 24 hours of the release of the EIS. The briefings will need to address the Executive Summary of the EIS.

Copies of the briefings will be forwarded to the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, which will prepare a combined briefing paper and circulate it to relevant Ministers and agencies.

The IDC will meet when the agencies have reviewed the EIS in more detail to discuss a framework for preparation of a comprehensive NSW Government submission on the draft EIS.

A preliminary review of the EIS and the proposed framework for preparation of the submission will be considered by the Urban Management Committee of Cabinet.

The Cabinet Committee will consider appropriate arrangements for ongoing Government comments regarding the draft EIS and media statements during the preparation of the NSW Government submission.

The Department of Urban Affairs and Planning will provide copies of the EIS and relevant technical papers to agencies which provided input on the draft guidelines for the EIS in 1996, and will seek input for the Government's submission.

Andrew Refshauge, MP
Acting Premier