4 years ago
MORE SUPPORT NEEDED FOR REGIONAL AIRPORTS
CATHERINE KING MP
While all funding is welcome, regional airports across Australia are going to need more than the matched grants funding announced today through the Regional Airport Program as they recover from the COVID crisis.
The reality is that regional airports around the country have been hit hard by coronavirus.
With many regional airports being council-owned, they have been ineligible for JobKeeper support and have been forced to lay off highly skilled staff.
This grants program is welcome, but it won’t be enough. The Morrison Government needs a comprehensive plan for aviation to protect this essential industry as Australia emerges from this crisis.
Applications for this program closed in December, if this funding had been delivered earlier airports could have supported local jobs through the shutdown while completing these works with minimal disruption.
With the economic impacts being felt hard by councils, the Government is going to have to ensure that their tightened budgets are not a barrier to upgrades being undertaken.
The reality is that regional airports around the country have been hit hard by coronavirus.
With many regional airports being council-owned, they have been ineligible for JobKeeper support and have been forced to lay off highly skilled staff.
This grants program is welcome, but it won’t be enough. The Morrison Government needs a comprehensive plan for aviation to protect this essential industry as Australia emerges from this crisis.
Applications for this program closed in December, if this funding had been delivered earlier airports could have supported local jobs through the shutdown while completing these works with minimal disruption.
With the economic impacts being felt hard by councils, the Government is going to have to ensure that their tightened budgets are not a barrier to upgrades being undertaken.