Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the shadow minister for infrastructure and transport for her question. We have committed more than $1.2 billion of support to cushion the aviation industry. It's been very, very hard hit by COVID-19. It has been very hard hit. Virgin Australia went into COVID-19 and they were doing it tough. Aviation is a tough industry. The margins are small, and they need to be their best selves. We want to see two commercially viable airlines coming out of the back of COVID-19. I'm sure I share that view with every member of the House. I'm sure I do.

Any assistance we have provided to aviation has been sector wide. Yes, Regional Express Airlines has benefited from the $1.2 billion of sector-wide support. Yes, they have benefited from the $100 million underwriting. Yes, they have benefited from the $198 million that we've provided for regional airlines to service those 138 communities which but for Rex, but for QantasLink, but for Virgin and but for those other fine regional airlines which fly into those country centres would not have been serviced. Some of those country centres would not have been receiving frontline medical personnel. Some of those regional centres would not have been provided with personal protection equipment. Some of those regional services would not have been provided with the face masks that they received thanks—

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