❓ Question regarding the impact of Rex Airlines contract on local governments and service levels. The Minister's response is initially evasive and politically charged, before providing a general assurance of support for regional air services.
AnsweredQoN 503Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
REX AIRLINES —
INTRASTATE AIR ROUTES — LOCAL GOVERNMENT
503. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to some of the concerns
raised by local governments and key stakeholders during the tender process and
the subsequent decision by the state government to award regional air service
contracts to Rex Airlines.
(1) Will the
minister guarantee that no impacted local governments and ratepayers will be
disadvantaged and left to carry the can financially?
(2) Will the
minister ensure that new contracts, which may be awarded, will maintain current
levels of service and fare structures?
INTRASTATE AIR ROUTES — LOCAL GOVERNMENT
503. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to some of the concerns
raised by local governments and key stakeholders during the tender process and
the subsequent decision by the state government to award regional air service
contracts to Rex Airlines.
(1) Will the
minister guarantee that no impacted local governments and ratepayers will be
disadvantaged and left to carry the can financially?
(2) Will the
minister ensure that new contracts, which may be awarded, will maintain current
levels of service and fare structures?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Yesterday,
we were asked whether we will support Rex and we said yes. Now the member is
saying that she does not like Rex. I mean, the division between the member for
North West Central and the member for Moore—is that right?
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
Minister for Community Services.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There is
division between these two members. I love watching a bit of social media. At
night I scroll through and see what has been happening in the Liberal and
National Parties. I particularly love the recent visits to Carnarvon by the
Leader of the Liberal Party when she talks about the ''real local''.
She was really having a go at the Leader of the Opposition, wasn't she?
She was out there with the member for North West Central—the real local
in Carnarvon. They do not like the Leader of the Opposition much, do they? I mean,
what are you? Are you an alliance anymore?
As I understand it, they are not
posting the same media statements. They have got a whole new website for the Leader of the Liberal Party. It is complete
dysfunction! What are you? An alliance, a rabble—what is the technical
term?
The SPEAKER : Order!
Minister for Transport, pause for a moment. I draw your attention to the
question that was asked. I ask you to respond to the question that was
asked, because your answer has strayed into very diverse areas.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Sure. Am I answering
the theme of the real local or the fake local—I do not know?
The SPEAKER : No. You are
answering the question.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : In relation
to air services, as I said, no government has supported regional air services
more than this one. In relation to the tender the member referred to, I hate to
say it, but only one person tendered, and that
is the one who got the flights. We could have not done it. Is that what the
member wanted? I mean, that is what the
member is saying: she did not want the service that tendered to get the
flights. Honestly, we have been supporting regional air services more
than ever. We have capped fares for regional residents, which is something
members opposite would not have the
intellectual ability to even think of, let alone deliver. We continue to
support air services . As I recall, we
have just funded upgrades to the Carnarvon airstrip as well. I am pretty sure
we have funded upgrades to airstrips and subsidised airfares and
supported regional flights.
I do not know why the member wants
to come in here and scare people. That is what she wants to do. It may be that because the Nationals WA asked a question
about Carnarvon air services, the Liberal Party has to ask a question
about air services. That is what you have to do because you guys do not talk to
each other. All you are doing is fighting out there. I mean, honestly; I feel
sorry for the residents of Carnarvon. They have this major battle every week
about which member is in town and who is the real local and who is the fake
local.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Honestly,
what is the Leader of the Liberal Party talking about? All she does is sit
there and interject constantly. Stand up and ask me a question, Leader of the
Liberal Party, because all you do is sit there and talk and talk. Stand up and
ask us a question.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Stand up and
ask me a question.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms L. Mettam : You don't answer anyway.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Honestly! We stand by regional air
services, we stand by regional towns and we continue to support regional airlines. As we have said, the affordability and
accessibility of regional airfares in Western Australia is our number
one priority, together with regional road safety, and that is why we have
invested more in regional air services, regional airstrip upgrades, regional
airports and regional fares than any government before us.
The SPEAKER : I note that this is the last question.
we were asked whether we will support Rex and we said yes. Now the member is
saying that she does not like Rex. I mean, the division between the member for
North West Central and the member for Moore—is that right?
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
Minister for Community Services.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There is
division between these two members. I love watching a bit of social media. At
night I scroll through and see what has been happening in the Liberal and
National Parties. I particularly love the recent visits to Carnarvon by the
Leader of the Liberal Party when she talks about the ''real local''.
She was really having a go at the Leader of the Opposition, wasn't she?
She was out there with the member for North West Central—the real local
in Carnarvon. They do not like the Leader of the Opposition much, do they? I mean,
what are you? Are you an alliance anymore?
As I understand it, they are not
posting the same media statements. They have got a whole new website for the Leader of the Liberal Party. It is complete
dysfunction! What are you? An alliance, a rabble—what is the technical
term?
The SPEAKER : Order!
Minister for Transport, pause for a moment. I draw your attention to the
question that was asked. I ask you to respond to the question that was
asked, because your answer has strayed into very diverse areas.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Sure. Am I answering
the theme of the real local or the fake local—I do not know?
The SPEAKER : No. You are
answering the question.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : In relation
to air services, as I said, no government has supported regional air services
more than this one. In relation to the tender the member referred to, I hate to
say it, but only one person tendered, and that
is the one who got the flights. We could have not done it. Is that what the
member wanted? I mean, that is what the
member is saying: she did not want the service that tendered to get the
flights. Honestly, we have been supporting regional air services more
than ever. We have capped fares for regional residents, which is something
members opposite would not have the
intellectual ability to even think of, let alone deliver. We continue to
support air services . As I recall, we
have just funded upgrades to the Carnarvon airstrip as well. I am pretty sure
we have funded upgrades to airstrips and subsidised airfares and
supported regional flights.
I do not know why the member wants
to come in here and scare people. That is what she wants to do. It may be that because the Nationals WA asked a question
about Carnarvon air services, the Liberal Party has to ask a question
about air services. That is what you have to do because you guys do not talk to
each other. All you are doing is fighting out there. I mean, honestly; I feel
sorry for the residents of Carnarvon. They have this major battle every week
about which member is in town and who is the real local and who is the fake
local.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Honestly,
what is the Leader of the Liberal Party talking about? All she does is sit
there and interject constantly. Stand up and ask me a question, Leader of the
Liberal Party, because all you do is sit there and talk and talk. Stand up and
ask us a question.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Stand up and
ask me a question.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms L. Mettam : You don't answer anyway.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Honestly! We stand by regional air
services, we stand by regional towns and we continue to support regional airlines. As we have said, the affordability and
accessibility of regional airfares in Western Australia is our number
one priority, together with regional road safety, and that is why we have
invested more in regional air services, regional airstrip upgrades, regional
airports and regional fares than any government before us.
The SPEAKER : I note that this is the last question.
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