The party faces an internal fight as damaging as that which it suffered when it ditched Badgerys Creek last year if it chooses Wilton, 75 minutes’ drive from theSydney CBD.

Senior Labor figures said Wilton — close to the Hume Highway and the Sydney-Melbourne rail line — had become the only realistic option after the decision to dump Badgerys Creek.

Wilton is the least controversial of the options the ALP has been left with, and was first short-listed with Badgerys Creek as far back as 1985.

THE sleepy hamlet of Wilton, 65km southwest of central Sydney, is the likely location of Labor’s alternative airport for the city.

Opposition Leader Mark Latham yesterday recommitted the party to nominating a site, upholding the promise by Simon Crean to come up with a second airport after the former leader declared the previous preferred site of Badgerys Creek off limits.

Mr Latham said a final decision would be announced by the time of Labor’s national conference later this month.

But the party faces an internal fight as damaging as that which it suffered when it ditched Badgerys Creek last year if it chooses Wilton, 75 minutes’ drive from the Sydney CBD.

Senior Labor figures said Wilton — close to the Hume Highway and the Sydney-Melbourne rail line — had become the only realistic option after the decision to dump Badgerys Creek.

Wilton is the least controversial of the options the ALP has been left with, and was first short-listed with Badgerys Creek as far back as 1985.

However, Wilton suffers

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from runway-closing fog during the winter months, reducing its attraction as an alternative to Kingsford Smith at Mascot.

A committee comprising Anthony Albanese, John Faulkner, Robert McClelland and Martin Ferguson, and chaired by Mr Latham, will make the decision in thenext two weeks.

Politically, Wilton is a safer choice for Labor than Badgerys Creek, because the site is surrounded by Liberal-held seats.

Western Sydney Labor MP Julia Irwin warned that the party faced an internal fight if it selected Wilton, which she said was a bad choice on environmental grounds.

“I will oppose it if they select Wilton … it’s not going to be good for the environment or the area.

“My preferred site at this stage is Goulburn and I will try and speak about it on the conference floor if they decide on Wilton.”

Transport Minister John Anderson said any proposal to build a new airport outside the Sydney basin would fail because it would be too far from the city’s centre.

The prospect of an airport in rural Wilton was greeted with alarm by residents.

“They can shove it anywhere else but here,” said local Carol Marr.

Bill Hunter, 43, a crane-driver from Wilton, said “nobody, absolutely nobody, wants an airport around here”.

“I heard Goulburn wanted it. Why not put it down there?” Mr Hunter said.

“An airport would completely ruin this area. I don’t think people would be too impressed with Mark Latham. The rank and file Labor voters out here would not be impressed. The flight paths would affect a lot of people.”

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