I know the geomorphology is totally different (Gaunty, you taught me that one
) so please no flames but the US AOPA (I think) did a study on the worth of aviation to communities in the USA. The figure was staggering (just don't have it to hand right now).
Now in Australia we have been on a user pays, sell off non-core government asset kick for some time (and it reaches into core activities - just look at the civilian contractors working in the defence sector).
But, as was recently pointed out to me by a well known figure in aviation circles, who is the aviation user? The GA charter operator who is having to put their hand in their pocket for increasing fees and charges or a 72 year old pensioner who lives in a country town and has never been on an aircraft in her life but who gets her prescribed medication delivered by air freight?
The point is that all tiers of government need to be educated that transport infrastructure in Australia is of value to all Australians whether they physically use it or not. As such it should be supported by all Australians and not subsidised by the few people who actually physically use those facilities. Am I calling for a return to government support, yes, but they are using my taxes to do so which I believe is a proper use of them, not to support some budget surplus which can be "spent" on some pork-barrelling exercise come election time.
