❓ Mr Michel asks about the McGowan government's regional aviation initiatives, particularly the capped airfare program. The Minister responds by highlighting the program's success and contrasting it with the previous government's inaction.
AnsweredQoN 175Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AIRFARES — REGIONS
175. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's initiatives to make regional Western Australia an even
more vibrant place to live.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on how the McGowan government is boosting regional
aviation services, including the delivery of its election commitment to cap
regional airfares?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether she is aware of any alternatives to these
successful initiatives?
175. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's initiatives to make regional Western Australia an even
more vibrant place to live.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on how the McGowan government is boosting regional
aviation services, including the delivery of its election commitment to cap
regional airfares?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether she is aware of any alternatives to these
successful initiatives?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Pilbara for
that question.
(1)–(2) The
issue of very high airfares for regional residents has been an issue that has
plagued regional Western Australia for many, many years. That is why we are
very proud of our initiative that we took to the
last election to cap the price of airfares for regional Western Australians so
that regional residents have , in a sense,
a two-zone fare—either $199 or $299, depending on where they live. It
is important to note just how successful this program has been. Between
October and December, more than 37 800 capped airfares were flown. That was a 33
per cent increase from the quarter before it. We started this program on 1 July
last year. In the first quarter, there were 28 000 airfares, and over 37 000
airfares in the next quarter.
Members can see how successful this
program is throughout regional WA. Karratha–Perth has been the most
successful route, with 8 500 one-way capped airfares flown between October and
December. The third most popular route is Port Hedland–Perth. For the
member for Kalgoorlie and her constituents—we know exactly how big an issue it was in Kalgoorlie—there was a 62
per cent increase in usage of this capped airfare in just one quarter.
As members can tell, it is very successful. No other jurisdiction in Australia
is implementing a scheme like this.
The question was: was there an
alternative to this program; in particular, was there such an alternative or
any type of program implemented under the previous government? The answer of
course is no. Although it talked about it, it did nothing to put pressure down
on regional airfares in this state. It did nothing. It had royalties for
regions and it did not tackle probably one of the most basic issues out there,
in particular in the regions through the Kimberley, the Pilbara, the midwest
and goldfields, and that was airfares. Maybe
one of the reasons the former government did not tackle that is that it is now
the ''MetroNats''. It is now the party that is chasing the
vote of the densely populated areas. Of course, where Nationals members choose
to live means probably the only initiative they will be using will not be
capped airfares, but Metronet itself.
that question.
(1)–(2) The
issue of very high airfares for regional residents has been an issue that has
plagued regional Western Australia for many, many years. That is why we are
very proud of our initiative that we took to the
last election to cap the price of airfares for regional Western Australians so
that regional residents have , in a sense,
a two-zone fare—either $199 or $299, depending on where they live. It
is important to note just how successful this program has been. Between
October and December, more than 37 800 capped airfares were flown. That was a 33
per cent increase from the quarter before it. We started this program on 1 July
last year. In the first quarter, there were 28 000 airfares, and over 37 000
airfares in the next quarter.
Members can see how successful this
program is throughout regional WA. Karratha–Perth has been the most
successful route, with 8 500 one-way capped airfares flown between October and
December. The third most popular route is Port Hedland–Perth. For the
member for Kalgoorlie and her constituents—we know exactly how big an issue it was in Kalgoorlie—there was a 62
per cent increase in usage of this capped airfare in just one quarter.
As members can tell, it is very successful. No other jurisdiction in Australia
is implementing a scheme like this.
The question was: was there an
alternative to this program; in particular, was there such an alternative or
any type of program implemented under the previous government? The answer of
course is no. Although it talked about it, it did nothing to put pressure down
on regional airfares in this state. It did nothing. It had royalties for
regions and it did not tackle probably one of the most basic issues out there,
in particular in the regions through the Kimberley, the Pilbara, the midwest
and goldfields, and that was airfares. Maybe
one of the reasons the former government did not tackle that is that it is now
the ''MetroNats''. It is now the party that is chasing the
vote of the densely populated areas. Of course, where Nationals members choose
to live means probably the only initiative they will be using will not be
capped airfares, but Metronet itself.
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