REGIONAL AVIATION NEEDS URGENT SUPPORT

Shadow Transport Minister Catherine King said the Federal Government needs to urgently support Australia’s aviation industry, particularly our regional airlines.
 
With the crisis rapidly evolving and demand for domestic aviation services reducing daily, our regional airlines need urgent help from the Federal Government.
 
Regional Australians rely on our smaller regional airlines to connect with each other, to major cities and to the world.
 
I have twice written to the Deputy Prime Minister McCormack urging the Federal Government to provide all necessary support to protect our aviation industry through this crisis.
 
In the last week alone, tens of thousands of Australians who built our aviation industry have been stood down for months, many have no guarantee a job is waiting for them when the crisis is over. 
 
Many of Australia’s smaller regional airlines face urgent cash flow issues and the Federal Government’s economic response measures announced don’t do enough to support this vital industry.
 
While Labor supported the Federal Government’s aviation package, worth “up to” $715 million, we noted it was not going to be enough. As most of the aviation package is rebates of fees and charges airlines incur when flying it will provide little benefit while fleets are grounded.
 
The regional airlines tell me the $250,000 loans announced on Sunday aren’t nearly enough to meet their ongoing fixed costs and ensure they can quickly relaunch once the outbreak passes.
 
The Federal Government’s $1 billion regional and community fund still doesn’t have guidelines 13 days after it was announced.
 
Earlier this month, the Federal Government launched a Regional Aviation Issues Paper to shape regional aviation over the decade. It will be an excise in futility if the Government does not act now to save the regional aviation sector, as there will be few regional airlines and regional routes left.
 
Labor will continue to play a constructive, responsible and supportive role during this outbreak and inject a sense of urgency when it is sorely lacking.