Re: Wonderful, Customer-Responsive GSR

[rwilke@but.i.dont.like.spam.com.au (Roy Wilke)]

On Mon, 19 Jan 1998 08:29:19 +1000, "Barry" <one@microsoft.com> wrote:

>
>Maurie Daly wrote in message ...
>>In article <34C11179.41C6@sleeper.apana.org.au> Matthew Geier
><matthew@sleeper.apana.org.au> writes:
>>>From: Matthew Geier <matthew@sleeper.apana.org.au>
>>>Subject: Re: Wonderful, Customer-Responsive GSR
>>>Date: Sat, 17 Jan 1998 09:15:53 -1100
>>

(snip)

>>There is not one instance in this country of private enterprise offering to
>>actually build a major airport,simply because if you do the sums , you will
>>never get your money back.
>>Leasing existing airports which have already been paid for by the poor
>>taxpayer is another thing.

>>MD

>My employer owns an airport. If you look at our annual report you will see
>we make a reasonable long term return on the funds invested. The major city
>airports do just as well. I doubt if the rail passenger system can claim the
>same.


>Barry Campbell


Owning an airport doesn't equal building an airport. The argument that
the Commonwealth - through taxation revenue - went to the expense of
constructing the aerodromes and their associated infrastructure that
cost was not covered by the price which those aerodromes were sold to
private operators is a solid one.

Take Brisbane for an example. Did the current owners reimburse the
Commonwealth in full for the runway complex, the very expensive
terminal buildings, the two miles of six-lane highway leading to the
airport, the support facilities, etc. etc.? If they had, then there
would not be a reasonable long-term return on the funds invested.