Hon. Norman Moore asks about Tourism WA's support for renaming Learmonth Airport to Ningaloo Airport. The Minister supports the name change for the civilian section, pending community consultation, and retaining 'Learmonth' for the military section.

AnsweredQoN 161Legislative Council
Asked
11 March 2008
Portfolio
Tourism

QuestionView source ↗

LEARMONTH AIRPORT — NAME CHANGE
(1) Does Tourism Western Australia support the proposed name change of Learmonth Airport to Ningaloo airport? (2) Does the minister concur with the commission’s position; if so, why; and, if not, why not? Hon ADELE FARINA

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Tourism has advised as follows — (1) Tourism Western Australia has indicated that it would support a name change to the civilian section of Learmonth Airport; however, it would support such an initiative only on the proviso that extensive community support has been secured by the Shire of Exmouth. The commission board has not taken a formal position on this matter. The airport in question has both military and civilian sections. The commission believes that the military section should retain the name “Learmonth” to pay tribute to our wartime heroes and service personnel. The Shire of Exmouth owns the civilian terminal leased from the Australian government Department of Defence. The minister understands that an Exmouth tourism operator, Mr Kim Tapper, proposed a name change to the Shire of Exmouth. The council stated at its July 2007 meeting that it may consider a name change if community support was secured. (2) The minister is supportive of the military section retaining the name “Learmonth” and will be guided by the outcomes of a comprehensive community consultation process on the matter of changing the name of the civilian section to Ningaloo airport.
(2) Does the minister concur with the commission’s position; if so, why; and, if not, why not? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Tourism has advised as follows — (1) Tourism Western Australia has indicated that it would support a name change to the civilian section of Learmonth Airport; however, it would support such an initiative only on the proviso that extensive community support has been secured by the Shire of Exmouth. The commission board has not taken a formal position on this matter. The airport in question has both military and civilian sections. The commission believes that the military section should retain the name “Learmonth” to pay tribute to our wartime heroes and service personnel. The Shire of Exmouth owns the civilian terminal leased from the Australian government Department of Defence. The minister understands that an Exmouth tourism operator, Mr Kim Tapper, proposed a name change to the Shire of Exmouth. The council stated at its July 2007 meeting that it may consider a name change if community support was secured. (2) The minister is supportive of the military section retaining the name “Learmonth” and will be guided by the outcomes of a comprehensive community consultation process on the matter of changing the name of the civilian section to Ningaloo airport.
Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Tourism has advised as follows — (1) Tourism Western Australia has indicated that it would support a name change to the civilian section of Learmonth Airport; however, it would support such an initiative only on the proviso that extensive community support has been secured by the Shire of Exmouth. The commission board has not taken a formal position on this matter. The airport in question has both military and civilian sections. The commission believes that the military section should retain the name “Learmonth” to pay tribute to our wartime heroes and service personnel. The Shire of Exmouth owns the civilian terminal leased from the Australian government Department of Defence. The minister understands that an Exmouth tourism operator, Mr Kim Tapper, proposed a name change to the Shire of Exmouth. The council stated at its July 2007 meeting that it may consider a name change if community support was secured. (2) The minister is supportive of the military section retaining the name “Learmonth” and will be guided by the outcomes of a comprehensive community consultation process on the matter of changing the name of the civilian section to Ningaloo airport.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Tourism has advised as follows — (1) Tourism Western Australia has indicated that it would support a name change to the civilian section of Learmonth Airport; however, it would support such an initiative only on the proviso that extensive community support has been secured by the Shire of Exmouth. The commission board has not taken a formal position on this matter. The airport in question has both military and civilian sections. The commission believes that the military section should retain the name “Learmonth” to pay tribute to our wartime heroes and service personnel. The Shire of Exmouth owns the civilian terminal leased from the Australian government Department of Defence. The minister understands that an Exmouth tourism operator, Mr Kim Tapper, proposed a name change to the Shire of Exmouth. The council stated at its July 2007 meeting that it may consider a name change if community support was secured. (2) The minister is supportive of the military section retaining the name “Learmonth” and will be guided by the outcomes of a comprehensive community consultation process on the matter of changing the name of the civilian section to Ningaloo airport.
(1) Tourism Western Australia has indicated that it would support a name change to the civilian section of Learmonth Airport; however, it would support such an initiative only on the proviso that extensive community support has been secured by the Shire of Exmouth. The commission board has not taken a formal position on this matter. The airport in question has both military and civilian sections. The commission believes that the military section should retain the name “Learmonth” to pay tribute to our wartime heroes and service personnel. The Shire of Exmouth owns the civilian terminal leased from the Australian government Department of Defence. The minister understands that an Exmouth tourism operator, Mr Kim Tapper, proposed a name change to the Shire of Exmouth. The council stated at its July 2007 meeting that it may consider a name change if community support was secured. (2) The minister is supportive of the military section retaining the name “Learmonth” and will be guided by the outcomes of a comprehensive community consultation process on the matter of changing the name of the civilian section to Ningaloo airport.
(2) The minister is supportive of the military section retaining the name “Learmonth” and will be guided by the outcomes of a comprehensive community consultation process on the matter of changing the name of the civilian section to Ningaloo airport.

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