Move to save Australia’s rural aviation and help mustering industry. Push to save rural aviation. Courier Mail 30 Oct ’19.
The Morrison Government is taking aim at unaffordable regional airfares and will push to cut costs and regulations for the struggling bush aviation industry. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and the Government was operating consultation with the industry, regulators and authorities to develop a plan to ensure regional aviation remained viable and competitive. A key focus of the regional aviation policy statement would be to target expensive regional airfares and reduce regulatory burdens, so industry remained a thriving channel of economic growth in in the bush, he said.
Queensland LNP Sen Susan McDonald, who led a committee that recently investigated the operation, regulation and funding of bush aviation, said there must be a clear link between safety outcomes and the cost of regulation. She was particularly concerned about regulatory and cost burdens on Australia’s unique helicopter mustering industry as well as the way “unaffordable airfares” on some regional routes were stifling tourism. “I have seen firsthand the struggles of regional aviation; in particular, in Western Queensland and the committee’s report identified a number of challenges for regional communities in air services they have access to,” she said.
More soon - we are in touch with her Chief of Staff who said they were across many of the regulatory problems, such as the Air Transport legislation due out 2020 and implemented 2021. May restrict scenic tourist flights?