Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Warren Truss today released the Liberal-National Party coalition's aviation policy ahead of the 7 September federal election.
The policy expresses ambitions for aviation in Australia, coupled with some rockets for the Labor government's performance.
"The Coalition will strengthen our aviation industry to ensure that it is safe, reliable, competitive and proud to be Australian," the policy states. "The Coalition’s Policy for Aviation will improve consultation, reform the structure of key safety agencies and provide support to struggling sectors of the industry.
"The Coalition recognises that our aviation sector is a vital part of the economy. It employs in excess of 100,000 people and contributes an estimated $17.3 billion to the Australian economy."
Some of the stated initiatives include:
- An additional $3.5 million to support regional aviation by introducing a new and better targeted En Route Rebate Scheme for regional commercial airline carriers
- A high-level external review of aviation safety and regulation in Australia
- Better utilisation of Australian airspace, including tasking Airservices Australia with fast-tracking technological and navigational improvements
- Revitalise the General Aviation Action Agenda and establish a regular dialogue with the general aviation sector to address industry issues
- enhance aviation skills, training and development by undertaking a study into skills shortages in the broader aviation industry
- Ensure that aviation security measures are risk based and implemented in a practical and common sense way.
However, it wouldn't be a political party policy if it didn't point out all the defects with the other side's performance. The coalition's assessment of the Labor Party is, naturally, damning.
"Over the past six years Labor’s approach to aviation policy has seen cost after cost added to the bottom lines of airlines and airports, pilots and passengers," it states. "Labor has introduced the carbon tax, increased red tape, raised the Passenger Movement Charge and abolished the En Route Rebate Scheme for small regional airlines."
At the time of writing, no Labor Party aviation policy has been made available.