The Deputy Prime Minister’s announcement of a “policy statement” for regional aviation appears to just be another stalling tactic after six years of inaction.
Minister McCormack has been sitting on two reports since June – a Senate Committee inquiry into regional aviation and the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into airport regulation.
Instead of working on formal Government responses to these inquiries, the Deputy Prime Minister took four months to decide to write an “issues paper”!
People in regional Australia are rightly concerned about the price, availability and reliability of regional air services.
The Productivity Commission and Senate Committee both undertook extensive inquiries and made serious recommendations to Government.
Rather than kicking regional aviation down the road with an “issues paper”, the Deputy Prime Minister should formally respond to these inquiries then present a serious, budgeted policy.
Failing to do so will demonstrate Minister McCormack is full of hot air on regional aviation.