❓ Opposition questions the Transport Minister's decision to award air services to a NSW-based airline over a WA-owned company, citing potential job losses and feelings of betrayal. The Minister defends the decision based on a tender process and the chosen airline's reputation.
AnsweredQoN 974Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AIR
SERVICES — ALBANY AND ESPERANCE
974. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Minister for Transport:
Prior to asking my first question, on behalf of the state
opposition, I pass our thoughts onto the people of Esperance and surrounding
communities who have recently suffered an unimaginable tragedy. I wish all our
brave firefighters and emergency services personnel all the very best and every
safety over coming difficult days.
I refer to the minister's decision announced today to
award air services to Albany and Esperance to a Singapore-owned, New South
Wales–based airline over the Western Australian–owned and
operated Skippers Aviation.
(1) Can the
minister respond to the assertion in writing by Skippers' chief pilot
and flight operations manager, Mr Ian Coxall, that about 30 locally based, WA
pilots and crew will now lose their jobs as a result of the minister's
decision?
(2) Can the
minister respond to Mr Coxall's comments that he feels ''very
sold out'' by the minister's decision?
SERVICES — ALBANY AND ESPERANCE
974. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Minister for Transport:
Prior to asking my first question, on behalf of the state
opposition, I pass our thoughts onto the people of Esperance and surrounding
communities who have recently suffered an unimaginable tragedy. I wish all our
brave firefighters and emergency services personnel all the very best and every
safety over coming difficult days.
I refer to the minister's decision announced today to
award air services to Albany and Esperance to a Singapore-owned, New South
Wales–based airline over the Western Australian–owned and
operated Skippers Aviation.
(1) Can the
minister respond to the assertion in writing by Skippers' chief pilot
and flight operations manager, Mr Ian Coxall, that about 30 locally based, WA
pilots and crew will now lose their jobs as a result of the minister's
decision?
(2) Can the
minister respond to Mr Coxall's comments that he feels ''very
sold out'' by the minister's decision?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
My responsibility is to the local communities of Albany and Esperance to ensure
that we deliver the best possible solution in air transport to those regional
towns. We went through a tender process, which involved the Department of
Regional Development and the Western Australian Tourism Commission on the
tender panel, that assessed the appropriate proposals to determine which was
the most appropriate and made recommendations back through me, which went
through cabinet. We have made a decision that the best solution for Albany and
Esperance is the introduction of Regional Express, Rex, to the Albany and
Esperance routes. I would like to highlight that for the last four years Rex
has been nominated as the best regional airline in the world, and it operates
extensively through New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. We look forward
to seeing the introduction Rex into Western Australia. Rex will set up offices
here and it will employ the appropriate staff in Western Australia who will be
based in Western Australia. I believe that a prudent decision has been made and
that appropriate processes have been followed.
My responsibility is to the local communities of Albany and Esperance to ensure
that we deliver the best possible solution in air transport to those regional
towns. We went through a tender process, which involved the Department of
Regional Development and the Western Australian Tourism Commission on the
tender panel, that assessed the appropriate proposals to determine which was
the most appropriate and made recommendations back through me, which went
through cabinet. We have made a decision that the best solution for Albany and
Esperance is the introduction of Regional Express, Rex, to the Albany and
Esperance routes. I would like to highlight that for the last four years Rex
has been nominated as the best regional airline in the world, and it operates
extensively through New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. We look forward
to seeing the introduction Rex into Western Australia. Rex will set up offices
here and it will employ the appropriate staff in Western Australia who will be
based in Western Australia. I believe that a prudent decision has been made and
that appropriate processes have been followed.
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