❓ Mr Masters questions the accuracy of figures used to justify withdrawing financial assistance to Busselton and Margaret River Airports, while also inquiring about potential subsidies for the proposed Bunbury Airport. The Minister defends the decision and clarifies the government's commitment to the Bunbury Airport project.
AnsweredQoN 691Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) In reference to your 3 April 2001 media statement announcing the withdrawal of financial assistance to the passenger air service to the Busselton and Margaret River Airports, is it not true that the claim that $525 000 already spent is actually $288 000, as determined by flight subsidy data compiled by the Shire of Busselton?
(2) Is it not true that the claimed cost of $200 000 a year to maintain the service is actually less than $100 000, as determined by the above mentioned Shire of Busselton data?
(3) Will the Minister review the decision to scrap the State Government subsidy now that the Minister is aware of erroneous figures on which the earlier decision was based?
(4) Will the Government be providing a subsidy for passenger air services to the proposed new Bunbury Airport, to which the Government has committed up to $4 million expenditure?
(2) Is it not true that the claimed cost of $200 000 a year to maintain the service is actually less than $100 000, as determined by the above mentioned Shire of Busselton data?
(3) Will the Minister review the decision to scrap the State Government subsidy now that the Minister is aware of erroneous figures on which the earlier decision was based?
(4) Will the Government be providing a subsidy for passenger air services to the proposed new Bunbury Airport, to which the Government has committed up to $4 million expenditure?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 September 2001
Responded by
Minister assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
42 days
(2) No, since the Shire of Busselton ceased to be involved in collecting subsidy information, the cost of operating the service has increased. The figure of $200,000 per year was the cost of operation by Skippers Aviation at the time of the service ceasing. (3) No, because the figures are not erroneous and the cost to operate the service was increasing with insufficient patronage to indicate the service would ever operate without subsidy. (4) The Government has committed to ‘Working with the local authorities and the community to plan for the possible relocation of the Bunbury Airport to an area more remote from the urban areas of Bunbury'. This does not indicate a commitment to provide $4 million for the construction of the airport. The issue of future policy on providing subsidies for passenger air services will be considered by the Ministerial Taskforce into Air Services.
(3) No, because the figures are not erroneous and the cost to operate the service was increasing with insufficient patronage to indicate the service would ever operate without subsidy. (4) The Government has committed to ‘Working with the local authorities and the community to plan for the possible relocation of the Bunbury Airport to an area more remote from the urban areas of Bunbury'. This does not indicate a commitment to provide $4 million for the construction of the airport. The issue of future policy on providing subsidies for passenger air services will be considered by the Ministerial Taskforce into Air Services.
(4) The Government has committed to ‘Working with the local authorities and the community to plan for the possible relocation of the Bunbury Airport to an area more remote from the urban areas of Bunbury'. This does not indicate a commitment to provide $4 million for the construction of the airport. The issue of future policy on providing subsidies for passenger air services will be considered by the Ministerial Taskforce into Air Services.
(3) No, because the figures are not erroneous and the cost to operate the service was increasing with insufficient patronage to indicate the service would ever operate without subsidy. (4) The Government has committed to ‘Working with the local authorities and the community to plan for the possible relocation of the Bunbury Airport to an area more remote from the urban areas of Bunbury'. This does not indicate a commitment to provide $4 million for the construction of the airport. The issue of future policy on providing subsidies for passenger air services will be considered by the Ministerial Taskforce into Air Services.
(4) The Government has committed to ‘Working with the local authorities and the community to plan for the possible relocation of the Bunbury Airport to an area more remote from the urban areas of Bunbury'. This does not indicate a commitment to provide $4 million for the construction of the airport. The issue of future policy on providing subsidies for passenger air services will be considered by the Ministerial Taskforce into Air Services.
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