❓ Mr. Watson questions the government's $60 million investment in Busselton Airport without a business case, while regional flights to Albany and Esperance are allegedly being reduced. The Minister defends the Busselton investment and denies flight reductions.
AnsweredQoN 807Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DIRECT FLIGHTS — ALBANY AND ESPERANCE
807. Mr P.B. WATSON to the
Minister for Tourism:
I have a supplementary question. Why
has the minister's government committed $60 million to an international
airport in Busselton without a business case when he is allowing major carriers
—
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
Mr P.B. WATSON : I
was not speaking to you.
The SPEAKER :
Leader of the National Party, no comments while people are asking questions. I
call you to order for the first time.
Mr P.B. WATSON : I
will start again. Why has the minister's government committed $60
million to an international airport in Busselton without a business case,
although he is allowing major carriers to stop flights to these other regional
centres?
807. Mr P.B. WATSON to the
Minister for Tourism:
I have a supplementary question. Why
has the minister's government committed $60 million to an international
airport in Busselton without a business case when he is allowing major carriers
—
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
Mr P.B. WATSON : I
was not speaking to you.
The SPEAKER :
Leader of the National Party, no comments while people are asking questions. I
call you to order for the first time.
Mr P.B. WATSON : I
will start again. Why has the minister's government committed $60
million to an international airport in Busselton without a business case,
although he is allowing major carriers to stop flights to these other regional
centres?
AnswerView source ↗
There are two clear errors in that supplementary question,
once again. One was the last part of it that implies we are allowing Virgin to
remove its flights; that is clearly wrong and I explained that in the first
half of the answer to the question. The second is that we are doing it without
a business case. That is just not correct. I do not know where the member would
possibly get that idea from. In fact, there is a very good business case to
support Busselton as an entrance into the south west region, particularly
Margaret River. It is fantastic for tourism. It is a great opportunity for
people who want to go to all parts of the south west, not just Albany, to link
in through direct flights that will come in the future from the eastern states —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you to order for the first time. A quick conclusion,
please.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
Tourism in Western Australia is not all about Albany. It is a great place to go
and we do strongly support it, but there are other parts of this state that we
have to look after. In my view, it was not appropriate that we had direct
flights to Broome as the only alternative to Perth in Western Australia from
Sydney and Melbourne and none to our south west, which is our next
most-populous region of the state.
once again. One was the last part of it that implies we are allowing Virgin to
remove its flights; that is clearly wrong and I explained that in the first
half of the answer to the question. The second is that we are doing it without
a business case. That is just not correct. I do not know where the member would
possibly get that idea from. In fact, there is a very good business case to
support Busselton as an entrance into the south west region, particularly
Margaret River. It is fantastic for tourism. It is a great opportunity for
people who want to go to all parts of the south west, not just Albany, to link
in through direct flights that will come in the future from the eastern states —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you to order for the first time. A quick conclusion,
please.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
Tourism in Western Australia is not all about Albany. It is a great place to go
and we do strongly support it, but there are other parts of this state that we
have to look after. In my view, it was not appropriate that we had direct
flights to Broome as the only alternative to Perth in Western Australia from
Sydney and Melbourne and none to our south west, which is our next
most-populous region of the state.
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