CATHERINE KING – MEDIA RELEASE – STILL NO AVIATION PLAN – MONDAY, 14 DECEMBER 2020

Nine months after the COVID pandemic first grounded Australian airlines, the Morrison Government still has no plan for Australian aviation.

With aviation support due to run out this month, the Government’s 11th hour decision to extend essential programs through to March next year was the least they could do.

After today’s announcement, JobKeeper and aviation support are both due to be removed in March next year. This is well before the industry is expected to have recovered.

Rather than making piecemeal announcements like this one, the Morrison Government must develop a comprehensive plan to support the industry.

Throughout this crisis, the Morrison Government has denied support to airports, denied JobKeeper to Dnata workers, allowed Virgin Australia to fall into administration and failed to act as Qantas sacked thousands of workers.

By walking away from Australia’s model of two full-service airlines, the Morrison Government has overseen the loss of almost 10,000 jobs at our major carriers.

In the wake of the Morrison Government’s repeated failures, the Senate voted last month to establish an inquiry into the future of the aviation industry.

This inquiry is expected to deliver recommendations to ensure Australia’s aviation industry can recover from this crisis and thrive into the future.

MONDAY, 14 DECEMBER 2020