❓ Mr Blayney asks about the allocation of the $8 million Regional Airfare Fund, specifically for Geraldton. The Minister responds with details of a larger $13.5 million package, but provides no specific breakdown for Geraldton or the $8 million fund, stating details are still being developed. The Minister then attacks the previous government's record and the opposition's airfare policy.
AnsweredQoN 96Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
REGIONAL AIRFARE FUND
96. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the recently announced
regional airfare fund designed to incentivise airlines to come up with discount
fare options to service regional routes.
(1) Can the minister provide a breakdown
of how she intends to spend the $8 million in regional areas?
(2) How much of it will go towards cheaper fares for
Geraldton to support businesses in my region battling the double whammy
of the shutdown of the rock lobster industry and the dramatic loss of Chinese
tourists?
96. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the recently announced
regional airfare fund designed to incentivise airlines to come up with discount
fare options to service regional routes.
(1) Can the minister provide a breakdown
of how she intends to spend the $8 million in regional areas?
(2) How much of it will go towards cheaper fares for
Geraldton to support businesses in my region battling the double whammy
of the shutdown of the rock lobster industry and the dramatic loss of Chinese
tourists?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for that question. As the Premier outlined in an answer to a question
before, in the last fortnight we announced a new package to support airfares in
regional WA with, I think, $13.5 million. There is $5 million for the tourism
portfolio, to make sure that we continue our drive for affordable airfares and
to grow regional tourism economies. As part of that, we also earmarked $8 million
for a new regional aviation fund. We are working to develop the details of the
fund, in particular the key destinations and the level of benefit we can
leverage through our negotiations with the airline. That work is ongoing.
Members might be aware that since we came to government, we have implemented a whole
range of new fares throughout regional WA. We have seen some incredible results
with the amount of travel to some key destinations, such as Albany and Monkey
Mia. There have just been incredible numbers of people accessing community
fares. We are going to continue to make this a priority, because we believe
regional airfares are a priority, and we are doing all we can to drive those
prices down.
I note that that is much more than
the previous government did when it was in power. The government had eight and
a half years and accessed $8.5 billion of royalties for regions funding, and it
basically did nothing in this space. The good news is that the Nationals WA has
made a commitment on this. It is going to allocate $1.2 billion over four years
to drive down regional airfares. That is the commitment the National Party has given. That is going to be in
the costings when it announces those costings in the context of the election. I think we are up to $1.6 billion
from the Leader of the National Party. Now the $1.2 billion —
Mr V.A. Catania : Where did
that come from?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : From you. The member should go and
check his transcript and his paper when he said that what we should have is a $1.2
billion fund; that is what we should do.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central and member for Wanneroo, I call you to order for the first
time. National Party, please; you are on steroids or something today. The
minister is answering the question. You are shouting right across the chamber
with your own member's question. The minister is still going.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : You
committed $300 million per annum, which I calculate to be $1.2 billion over
four years. That is your commitment. Are you walking away from it already,
member?
Mr V.A. Catania : Yes.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : He is
walking away from it already. He is on record as saying that we should
subsidise regional airfares to $1.2 billion.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central, I call you to order for the third time. If you want to have
a shout, go outside.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
for North West Central just outlined his logic again. He said that we subsidise
metropolitan transport by $300 million, so we should subsidise regional
airfares by $300 million. He does not take into account everything else we do
in regional WA, mind you. But that is his logic. He has said it again today. Is
that the member's commitment?
The SPEAKER : Through the
chair, minister.
Mrs A.K. Hayden : He can't
answer.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I took his
interjection.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I took your
interjection. Do you still support that initiative?
Mr V.A. Catania : No. What I said
is $1.2 billion —
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I hope the
shadow Treasurer has a very big calculator there, because they are already
spending a lot of money, and to deliver a Liberal–National government,
he will have to incorporate that in his financial plan.
thank the member for that question. As the Premier outlined in an answer to a question
before, in the last fortnight we announced a new package to support airfares in
regional WA with, I think, $13.5 million. There is $5 million for the tourism
portfolio, to make sure that we continue our drive for affordable airfares and
to grow regional tourism economies. As part of that, we also earmarked $8 million
for a new regional aviation fund. We are working to develop the details of the
fund, in particular the key destinations and the level of benefit we can
leverage through our negotiations with the airline. That work is ongoing.
Members might be aware that since we came to government, we have implemented a whole
range of new fares throughout regional WA. We have seen some incredible results
with the amount of travel to some key destinations, such as Albany and Monkey
Mia. There have just been incredible numbers of people accessing community
fares. We are going to continue to make this a priority, because we believe
regional airfares are a priority, and we are doing all we can to drive those
prices down.
I note that that is much more than
the previous government did when it was in power. The government had eight and
a half years and accessed $8.5 billion of royalties for regions funding, and it
basically did nothing in this space. The good news is that the Nationals WA has
made a commitment on this. It is going to allocate $1.2 billion over four years
to drive down regional airfares. That is the commitment the National Party has given. That is going to be in
the costings when it announces those costings in the context of the election. I think we are up to $1.6 billion
from the Leader of the National Party. Now the $1.2 billion —
Mr V.A. Catania : Where did
that come from?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : From you. The member should go and
check his transcript and his paper when he said that what we should have is a $1.2
billion fund; that is what we should do.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central and member for Wanneroo, I call you to order for the first
time. National Party, please; you are on steroids or something today. The
minister is answering the question. You are shouting right across the chamber
with your own member's question. The minister is still going.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : You
committed $300 million per annum, which I calculate to be $1.2 billion over
four years. That is your commitment. Are you walking away from it already,
member?
Mr V.A. Catania : Yes.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : He is
walking away from it already. He is on record as saying that we should
subsidise regional airfares to $1.2 billion.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central, I call you to order for the third time. If you want to have
a shout, go outside.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The member
for North West Central just outlined his logic again. He said that we subsidise
metropolitan transport by $300 million, so we should subsidise regional
airfares by $300 million. He does not take into account everything else we do
in regional WA, mind you. But that is his logic. He has said it again today. Is
that the member's commitment?
The SPEAKER : Through the
chair, minister.
Mrs A.K. Hayden : He can't
answer.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I took his
interjection.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I took your
interjection. Do you still support that initiative?
Mr V.A. Catania : No. What I said
is $1.2 billion —
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I hope the
shadow Treasurer has a very big calculator there, because they are already
spending a lot of money, and to deliver a Liberal–National government,
he will have to incorporate that in his financial plan.
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