❓ Mr Redman questions the Minister for Tourism about the inclusion of the new Melbourne-Busselton flights in the tourism plan, referencing past skepticism. The Minister confirms inclusion, highlighting government support and the need for sufficient patronage, while also defending the government's broader tourism strategy.
AnsweredQoN 867Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM — DIRECT
FLIGHTS — BUSSELTON–MELBOURNE
867. Mr D.T. REDMAN to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the recent announcement
by Jetstar that it will launch three return flights a week from Melbourne to
Busselton. Will the minister now include this initiative in his two-year
tourism plan or does he still think that stakeholders
involved in the expansion of Busselton airport were ''sold a pup and no
airlines are interested in direct flights''?
FLIGHTS — BUSSELTON–MELBOURNE
867. Mr D.T. REDMAN to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the recent announcement
by Jetstar that it will launch three return flights a week from Melbourne to
Busselton. Will the minister now include this initiative in his two-year
tourism plan or does he still think that stakeholders
involved in the expansion of Busselton airport were ''sold a pup and no
airlines are interested in direct flights''?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his
question. With the last observation about no airlines being interested, I was
referring to international flights—and no airlines are interested; that
is just a fact. I was down in Busselton only a week ago. I met with the council
of the City of Busselton, the local tourism operators and the Margaret River
Busselton Tourism Association, and all of them conceded and agreed that without
a significant population base at that end of an international flight
destination, there is no way that any airline is ever going to fly until there
is an adequate population base to have return flights adequately filled.
With respect to the flights from
Melbourne, the member will be aware that the McGowan government has supported
the advocacy on behalf of the council. Our funding enabled the adviser to the
council to lobby an airline, and it will be funding from Tourism WA that
markets the route. I hope that enough people use the route at the very highly subsidised
rates to justify the ratepayers' contribution to those flights. That is
my observation.
Mr D.T. Redman : Is that
higher than Broome?
Mr P. PAPALIA : We do not
subsidise the flights to Broome. Just so that the member and the ratepayers of
Busselton understand, there has to be a lot of people flying on those flights
to justify the contribution that has been made. I hope it works.
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Warren–Blackwood, do not ask a question and answer it.
Mr P. PAPALIA : I am fully
supportive of the flights from Melbourne and hope that enough people will fly
on those flights at those incredibly highly subsidised rates to justify the
ratepayers' contribution—and I hope the rates of Busselton do
not increase in proportion to the subsidy of those flights. Nevertheless, I am
not sure where the member is going with his question. Of course, the flights
from Melbourne are part of our two-year action plan, as are any other
initiatives that are supported by Tourism WA.
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Warren–Blackwood!
Mr P. PAPALIA : When we
launched that plan in March last year, everyone will know that tourism in Western
Australia had been neglected, and the number of people coming to Western Australia
from outside the state had collapsed.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
Mr P. PAPALIA : A lot of
hotels arrived at the end of the boom, and the previous government did nothing
to assist in filling those hotel rooms; filling the restaurants, cafes and bars
across the state; or getting people out to the regions. It did nothing to
prepare for the post-boom neglect. All it has done is mindlessly pursue a strategy
that was failing. We fixed that with the two-year action plan. We are
continuing to drive for greater numbers, and we will continue to drive people
from the east coast to Western Australia and out to the regions to help grow
jobs.
question. With the last observation about no airlines being interested, I was
referring to international flights—and no airlines are interested; that
is just a fact. I was down in Busselton only a week ago. I met with the council
of the City of Busselton, the local tourism operators and the Margaret River
Busselton Tourism Association, and all of them conceded and agreed that without
a significant population base at that end of an international flight
destination, there is no way that any airline is ever going to fly until there
is an adequate population base to have return flights adequately filled.
With respect to the flights from
Melbourne, the member will be aware that the McGowan government has supported
the advocacy on behalf of the council. Our funding enabled the adviser to the
council to lobby an airline, and it will be funding from Tourism WA that
markets the route. I hope that enough people use the route at the very highly subsidised
rates to justify the ratepayers' contribution to those flights. That is
my observation.
Mr D.T. Redman : Is that
higher than Broome?
Mr P. PAPALIA : We do not
subsidise the flights to Broome. Just so that the member and the ratepayers of
Busselton understand, there has to be a lot of people flying on those flights
to justify the contribution that has been made. I hope it works.
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Warren–Blackwood, do not ask a question and answer it.
Mr P. PAPALIA : I am fully
supportive of the flights from Melbourne and hope that enough people will fly
on those flights at those incredibly highly subsidised rates to justify the
ratepayers' contribution—and I hope the rates of Busselton do
not increase in proportion to the subsidy of those flights. Nevertheless, I am
not sure where the member is going with his question. Of course, the flights
from Melbourne are part of our two-year action plan, as are any other
initiatives that are supported by Tourism WA.
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Warren–Blackwood!
Mr P. PAPALIA : When we
launched that plan in March last year, everyone will know that tourism in Western
Australia had been neglected, and the number of people coming to Western Australia
from outside the state had collapsed.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
Mr P. PAPALIA : A lot of
hotels arrived at the end of the boom, and the previous government did nothing
to assist in filling those hotel rooms; filling the restaurants, cafes and bars
across the state; or getting people out to the regions. It did nothing to
prepare for the post-boom neglect. All it has done is mindlessly pursue a strategy
that was failing. We fixed that with the two-year action plan. We are
continuing to drive for greater numbers, and we will continue to drive people
from the east coast to Western Australia and out to the regions to help grow
jobs.
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