REGIONAL AIRFARES —
BROOME, EXMOUTH AND KUNUNURRA
1062. Hon PETER COLLIER to
the minister representing the Minister for Tourism:
I ask this question on behalf of
Hon Jim Chown, who is on urgent parliamentary business.
I
refer to the announcement made on Monday that the McGowan government will
partner with Qantas and Virgin Airlines to provide 50 000 discounted
flights between Perth and three of this state's northern destinations—Broome,
Exmouth and Kununurra.
(1) Why were
these three destinations chosen for the subsidy over other Western Australian
destinations?
(2) Why has the initiative been at
the exclusion of the state's south?
(3) Why has the partnership not been extended to Rex
airlines, which also operates in regional Western Australia?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank Hon Jim Chown for notice of
the question. The following information has been provided to me by the Minister
for Tourism.
(1) Seasonal
tourism operators in Broome, Exmouth and Kununurra have been significantly
impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions this year.
(2)–(3) The
McGowan government allocated $3 million to support Regional Express in
maintaining its services to communities in the state's south and north
during the peak of the pandemic and to support service recovery and the
rebuilding of flight frequency. Discounted community airfares currently offered
by Rex include $139 for Albany, $138 for Esperance, $158 for Monkey Mia and
$199 for Carnarvon.