❓ The Minister for Tourism updates the house on efforts to secure more direct flights to WA, highlighting capped airfare schemes, new international routes (Paris, China), and investments in regional aviation (Virgin Australia's new aircraft, Perth Airport terminal).
AnsweredQoN 527Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM
— DIRECT FLIGHTS
527. Ms A.E. KENT to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's commitment to building a strong and diversified economy.
Can the minister update the house on this government's efforts
to secure more direct flights to Western Australia and improve access to WA's
key attractions?
— DIRECT FLIGHTS
527. Ms A.E. KENT to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's commitment to building a strong and diversified economy.
Can the minister update the house on this government's efforts
to secure more direct flights to Western Australia and improve access to WA's
key attractions?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for that question. Across
WA, we are moving to increase the affordability and availability of flights
within Western Australia and, of course, into Western Australia. One of the key
issues when the member was first elected was
the price of airfares for Kalgoorlie residents. It was probably the number one
issue the member raised with me. We were able to introduce the capped
airfare scheme that has capped airfares for those flying into Perth from
Kalgoorlie. As I recall, a lot of people were experiencing $1 200 one-way
airfares until we brought in the capped airfare scheme. All up, 360 000 capped
airfares have been flown within Western Australia, whether it is in Karratha,
Kununurra, Broome or the goldfields. We have seen an incredible uptake of the
capped airfare scheme.
We also want to see people
flying into Western Australia from around the world. That is why we have been
working very hard to secure more direct flights. We currently have an
issue about the London flight, but, more generally, the new direct flights are
bringing incredible benefits into Western Australia. We have the new Paris to
Perth flight. Unfortunately, I was not on that first flight, but we heard that
it was great, and people really enjoyed flying into Paris, and from Paris into Perth. It is a new direct flight to
intercontinental Europe, which again expands the capacity by 37 000
inbound passenger seats, which supports new tourism links. There are more
tourism links into Asia and Singapore, which
again supports more people from Asia flying into Western Australia, which
supports local tourism . The new direct flights into China will start at
the end of this year. We are very, very excited. The Chinese market continues
to be a very significant market for tourism in Western Australia. We will
continue to support it—please, someone pay the Synergy bill because the
lights just went—as we have more people flying into China. We continue
to see new direct links.
Another more recent key initiative is the vote of confidence
from Perth Airport and Qantas for the new consolidated terminal at Perth Airport. Yesterday, there was more good news for
regional Western Australia when Virgin Australia announced it is spending $1 billion on new aircraft for Western Australia,
predominantly charters, but also regional fights. The Embraer E190-E2
aircraft will bring a new level of comfort for those people flying within Western
Australia. It is quieter and has fewer emissions. It is a new style of aircraft
for our WA skies that will support intrastate tourism and intrastate flights.
We continue to work to activate both our city and regions with events and
support more air travel, cheaper air travel and more accessible air travel
throughout WA.
WA, we are moving to increase the affordability and availability of flights
within Western Australia and, of course, into Western Australia. One of the key
issues when the member was first elected was
the price of airfares for Kalgoorlie residents. It was probably the number one
issue the member raised with me. We were able to introduce the capped
airfare scheme that has capped airfares for those flying into Perth from
Kalgoorlie. As I recall, a lot of people were experiencing $1 200 one-way
airfares until we brought in the capped airfare scheme. All up, 360 000 capped
airfares have been flown within Western Australia, whether it is in Karratha,
Kununurra, Broome or the goldfields. We have seen an incredible uptake of the
capped airfare scheme.
We also want to see people
flying into Western Australia from around the world. That is why we have been
working very hard to secure more direct flights. We currently have an
issue about the London flight, but, more generally, the new direct flights are
bringing incredible benefits into Western Australia. We have the new Paris to
Perth flight. Unfortunately, I was not on that first flight, but we heard that
it was great, and people really enjoyed flying into Paris, and from Paris into Perth. It is a new direct flight to
intercontinental Europe, which again expands the capacity by 37 000
inbound passenger seats, which supports new tourism links. There are more
tourism links into Asia and Singapore, which
again supports more people from Asia flying into Western Australia, which
supports local tourism . The new direct flights into China will start at
the end of this year. We are very, very excited. The Chinese market continues
to be a very significant market for tourism in Western Australia. We will
continue to support it—please, someone pay the Synergy bill because the
lights just went—as we have more people flying into China. We continue
to see new direct links.
Another more recent key initiative is the vote of confidence
from Perth Airport and Qantas for the new consolidated terminal at Perth Airport. Yesterday, there was more good news for
regional Western Australia when Virgin Australia announced it is spending $1 billion on new aircraft for Western Australia,
predominantly charters, but also regional fights. The Embraer E190-E2
aircraft will bring a new level of comfort for those people flying within Western
Australia. It is quieter and has fewer emissions. It is a new style of aircraft
for our WA skies that will support intrastate tourism and intrastate flights.
We continue to work to activate both our city and regions with events and
support more air travel, cheaper air travel and more accessible air travel
throughout WA.
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