Coalition frontbencher Joe Hockey is backing calls for a second airport for Sydney.
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Coalition frontbencher Joe Hockey is backing calls for a second airport for Sydney.
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Anne Easby-Smith, left, and Trace Robbins, right, who work for House Speaker John Boehner, help to prepare the Rayburn Room on Capitol Hill in Washington,Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013, where members of the House of Representatives will pose for pictures at an oath of office ceremony with Boehner. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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The U.S. Capitol is seen amid reflections from inside the Cannon House Office Building on the last day of the 112th Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. On Thursday, all members of the House of Representatives and one third of the Senate will be sworn in as the 113th Congress begins its work. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2012 file photo, a man walks in front of the Capitol in Washington. The debate in Washington over taxes and spending is likely to continue damaging the fragile economy well into 2013. The political standoff has already taken an economic toll, creating uncertainty about the future and discouraging consumers from spending and businesses from hiring and investing. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
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FILE - This Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, file photo shows the Capitol dome on Capitol Hill in Washington. The brinkmanship in Washington over taxes and spending is likely to continue damaging the fragile economy well into 2013. The political standoff has already taken an economic toll, creating uncertainty about the future and discouraging consumers from spending and businesses from hiring and investing. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
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Clouds roil over the White House in Washington on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, as Washington has less than 48 hours to avert the “fiscal cliff,” a series of tax increases and spending cuts set to take hold on Jan. 1. Republican and Democratic negotiators in the Senate were hoping to reach a deal to avoid going over the cliff on Sunday. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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House Minority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer of Md., pauses during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012, where he urged House Republicans to end the pro forma session and call the House back into legislative session to negotiate a solution to the fiscal cliff. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
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President Barack Obama walks past a Marine honor guard as he steps off the Marine One helicopter and walks on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012, as he returned early from his Hawaii vacation for meetings on the fiscal cliff. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Disability commissioner quits airline advisory group
The Disability Discrimination Commissioner has quit a Federal Government advisory group in protest over its lack of progress on aeroplane access.
Graeme Innes was a member of the Accessible Airlines Working Group, along with Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and airline representatives.
Mr Innes says the group has failed to achieve any major results, such as overturning the policy of some airlines to have a limit of two wheelchair passengers per flight.
"Disappointingly I felt that I had no option, given the resources available at the commission for my work, but to devote my efforts to other areas," he said.
"I really don't think this group has been effective in addressing the access needs of people with a disability."
Mr Innes says he has written to Mr Albanese to explain why he has resigned after three years with the group.
"I hope that the minister now might reassess this process and perhaps put in train a different process which is more task and goal oriented and picks four or five issues that are more important and sets itself some goals and timelines to remedy those issues," he said.
Federal Government frontbencher Joe Ludwig says it is a disappointing decision.
He says the group has been driving important changes.
"It has initiated the development of publication of disability access facilitation plans which set out in detail how airlines and airports will meet the needs of passengers with disabilities," he said.
"Forty-one plans are now in place covering all the major Australian airlines and all capital city airport operators."
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