❓ Ms. Stephens asks about the government's efforts to make regional airfares more affordable. The Minister outlines initiatives like community airfares, support for airlines, and increased flight frequency, contrasting it with the previous government's actions.
AnsweredQoN 184Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AIRFARES — REGIONS
184. Ms R.S. STEPHENS to the Minister for Transport:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment to supporting
regional communities through its unprecedented efforts in making
regional airfares more affordable.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the
additional regional flights recently secured by the McGowan La bor
government and how this will support regional communities, regional businesses
and regional jobs?
(2) Can the minister outline to the house how this
builds on this government's record of delivering unprecedented outcomes for the regions?
184. Ms R.S. STEPHENS to the Minister for Transport:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment to supporting
regional communities through its unprecedented efforts in making
regional airfares more affordable.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the
additional regional flights recently secured by the McGowan La bor
government and how this will support regional communities, regional businesses
and regional jobs?
(2) Can the minister outline to the house how this
builds on this government's record of delivering unprecedented outcomes for the regions?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Albany for
that question.
(1)–(2) Member for Albany, and all members in this place,
we are spending a record amount on transport infrastructure in regional
WA, whether it is upgrading and improving regional roads or supporting the
movement of more freight onto rail and working in partnership with
organisations like Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd to support more freight on
rail. Of course, it is also about making sure we improve the accessibility and affordability
of airfares in regional WA.
In
2017, we undertook a parliamentary inquiry into regional airfares. Since that
time, we have implemented a number of initiatives. We have been working
with Qantas and Virgin Australia to introduce more affordable residential
community fares. In March 2020, we announced $3 million to support Rex Airlines through the time of the COVID pandemic. We
also announced in the 2020–21 budget $21 million for further assistance for regional airfares; and, of course, we made a clear election
commitment for a new regional airfare zone cap, capping the cost of flights at
$199 and $299, depending on where people live.
I am proud our policy is working.
Throughout the COVID pandemic, we have been working with airlines to support
new airfares, and also give people greater access to those airfares. Since the
2021 election, we have worked with Northern
Star Resources Ltd and Alliance Airlines to launch a trial of a $199 community airfare between Perth and Kalgoorlie. That represents an additional 2 000 seats
per annum into that market at an affordable
price. We have worked with BHP and Alliance Airlines to launch reduced $299
community airfares into Port Hedland and Newman, representing over 15 000
affordable seats per annum. We have also doubled the number of flights into
Onslow from three to six flights.
Member
for Albany, we are also making sure we can recover flight numbers to
pre-pandemic levels. Currently , we have 100 per cent recovery on the
Esperance–Monkey Mia route, 83 per cent recovery for Carnarvon, and 78 per
cent recovery for Albany, and we continue to work to try to recover all of
those flights.
We are very much focused on
supporting transport in regional WA. That is unlike the previous coalition government, which did not support spending on
regional roads and which shut down rail lines in regional WA.
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : After they
privatised them, they shut them down! They did nothing on regional airfares for
eight and a half years. This government is very much focused on making sure
that we have accessible and affordable regional airfares and the supporting
transport infrastructure throughout Western Australia but in particular in
regional WA.
that question.
(1)–(2) Member for Albany, and all members in this place,
we are spending a record amount on transport infrastructure in regional
WA, whether it is upgrading and improving regional roads or supporting the
movement of more freight onto rail and working in partnership with
organisations like Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd to support more freight on
rail. Of course, it is also about making sure we improve the accessibility and affordability
of airfares in regional WA.
In
2017, we undertook a parliamentary inquiry into regional airfares. Since that
time, we have implemented a number of initiatives. We have been working
with Qantas and Virgin Australia to introduce more affordable residential
community fares. In March 2020, we announced $3 million to support Rex Airlines through the time of the COVID pandemic. We
also announced in the 2020–21 budget $21 million for further assistance for regional airfares; and, of course, we made a clear election
commitment for a new regional airfare zone cap, capping the cost of flights at
$199 and $299, depending on where people live.
I am proud our policy is working.
Throughout the COVID pandemic, we have been working with airlines to support
new airfares, and also give people greater access to those airfares. Since the
2021 election, we have worked with Northern
Star Resources Ltd and Alliance Airlines to launch a trial of a $199 community airfare between Perth and Kalgoorlie. That represents an additional 2 000 seats
per annum into that market at an affordable
price. We have worked with BHP and Alliance Airlines to launch reduced $299
community airfares into Port Hedland and Newman, representing over 15 000
affordable seats per annum. We have also doubled the number of flights into
Onslow from three to six flights.
Member
for Albany, we are also making sure we can recover flight numbers to
pre-pandemic levels. Currently , we have 100 per cent recovery on the
Esperance–Monkey Mia route, 83 per cent recovery for Carnarvon, and 78 per
cent recovery for Albany, and we continue to work to try to recover all of
those flights.
We are very much focused on
supporting transport in regional WA. That is unlike the previous coalition government, which did not support spending on
regional roads and which shut down rail lines in regional WA.
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : After they
privatised them, they shut them down! They did nothing on regional airfares for
eight and a half years. This government is very much focused on making sure
that we have accessible and affordable regional airfares and the supporting
transport infrastructure throughout Western Australia but in particular in
regional WA.
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