❓ The Minister addresses the negative impact of the Ansett Australia levy on regional aviation in WA, particularly its depressive effect on intrastate flights and regional tourism. She criticises the federal government's decision to continue the levy despite collected funds exceeding payouts.
AnsweredQoN 618Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Will the minister advise the House on the effect on Western Australia of the continuation of the Ansett Australia levy? Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
The levy that was imposed by the federal Government in 2001 has had a negative impact on regional aviation. All members know the circumstances that led to the levy - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Tell us about Skywest, minister. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I will tell the Leader of the National Party what we have done to protect Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd. If the member had asked anyone in Skywest or in regional Western Australia, he would know that we have ensured the preservation of Skywest. The creativity of our - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: The levy that was imposed by the federal Government in 2001 has had a negative impact on regional aviation. All members know the circumstances that led to the levy - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Tell us about Skywest, minister. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I will tell the Leader of the National Party what we have done to protect Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd. If the member had asked anyone in Skywest or in regional Western Australia, he would know that we have ensured the preservation of Skywest. The creativity of our - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
The levy that was imposed by the federal Government in 2001 has had a negative impact on regional aviation. All members know the circumstances that led to the levy - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Tell us about Skywest, minister. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I will tell the Leader of the National Party what we have done to protect Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd. If the member had asked anyone in Skywest or in regional Western Australia, he would know that we have ensured the preservation of Skywest. The creativity of our - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Mr M.W. Trenorden: Tell us about Skywest, minister. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I will tell the Leader of the National Party what we have done to protect Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd. If the member had asked anyone in Skywest or in regional Western Australia, he would know that we have ensured the preservation of Skywest. The creativity of our - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I will tell the Leader of the National Party what we have done to protect Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd. If the member had asked anyone in Skywest or in regional Western Australia, he would know that we have ensured the preservation of Skywest. The creativity of our - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: The levy that was imposed by the federal Government in 2001 has had a negative impact on regional aviation. All members know the circumstances that led to the levy - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Tell us about Skywest, minister. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I will tell the Leader of the National Party what we have done to protect Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd. If the member had asked anyone in Skywest or in regional Western Australia, he would know that we have ensured the preservation of Skywest. The creativity of our - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
The levy that was imposed by the federal Government in 2001 has had a negative impact on regional aviation. All members know the circumstances that led to the levy - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Tell us about Skywest, minister. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I will tell the Leader of the National Party what we have done to protect Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd. If the member had asked anyone in Skywest or in regional Western Australia, he would know that we have ensured the preservation of Skywest. The creativity of our - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Mr M.W. Trenorden: Tell us about Skywest, minister. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I will tell the Leader of the National Party what we have done to protect Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd. If the member had asked anyone in Skywest or in regional Western Australia, he would know that we have ensured the preservation of Skywest. The creativity of our - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I will tell the Leader of the National Party what we have done to protect Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd. If the member had asked anyone in Skywest or in regional Western Australia, he would know that we have ensured the preservation of Skywest. The creativity of our - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
The SPEAKER: Order! Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, Skywest is up and running and continuing to function because this Government has been prepared to make hard decisions and to conduct research to develop, for the first time in this State, an aviation regulation policy so that we can be sure of having a safe and sustainable airline system in the regions. I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
I want to talk about the Ansett levy, which is a flat $10 tax on all air tickets within Australia. It is a very regressive tax. Travellers pay the same amount, whether they are taking an economy class flight from Albany to Perth or a business class flight from Perth to Sydney. The levy probably has had little impact on interstate trade; however, it is having a very depressive effect on intrastate flights. It has added substantially to the suppression of demand for regional airline services, particularly at ports such as Albany. We have found, despite the best endeavours of Skywest, the Government and the Western Australian Tourism Commission, that ports such as Albany have not returned to their pre-September 11 levels. The levy has not only affected services to regional Western Australia and made the airline industry more vulnerable, but also has had a very negative effect on regional tourism operators. The decision by the federal Government last week to continue with the levy, particularly on regional airlines, is reprehensible. I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
I will give the House some facts. The federal Government has collected from this tax some $210 million. It has paid out some $330 million in entitlements and the remainder will come from the sale of the aircraft. All the assessments made by the industry indicate that the figure of $150 million is the most likely outcome from the sale of the assets; that is, discounting the asset by 50 per cent. That figure of $150 million has been judged attainable by the liquidator. There is therefore no reason for continuing the levy; it has more than covered the cost of Ansett’s entitlements. We now ask the federal Government to lift the levy, particularly on regional airline services in Western Australia to allow them - Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Mr M.W. Trenorden interjected. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: I am interested. Does the Leader of the National Party support this levy on regional services? Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Mr M.W. Trenorden: No, but I’d like you to do something as well. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN: Mr Speaker, we have taken up very vigorously with the Australian Transport Council the issue of regional air services. In the time that the National Party represented this State on that council it only ever discussed roads. It never discussed rail, aviation or shipping; it had an absolute obsession with roads. We are attempting to correct that. As the Premier exhorted the Opposition yesterday, it is about time that the opposition parties got behind us on these issues when we are trying to get some fairness for WA, particularly regional WA.
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