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

In the member for Dawson's electorate, the Whitsundays and Mackay areas were identified by Austrade as being severely impacted. Normally, at this time of year, they are awash with international tourists, but, of course, we know the reason they aren't. The global pandemic has taken such a toll on our economy and certainly the economies of those regional areas. They are going to benefit from the Tourism Aviation Network Support program. The CEO of Tourism Whitsundays, Tash Wheeler, had this to say: 'This is a fantastic package that really does go a long way to helping those regions, particularly here in the Whitsundays where we're so reliant on international visitation.'

Every dollar spent on an airline ticket means $10 spent at the destination. This is creating jobs, opportunities and hope in those areas Austrade has identified. Planes in the air mean jobs on the ground. We said we would review the progress of the program, and we will. As with every single program and project along the way to address the coronavirus situation, we have made sure that it is scalable, temporary and targeted. We've tweaked, where necessary, particular programs. We have provided the widespread support where it's needed and when it's needed.

On 28 March last year, the government announced an initial package to assist regional communities called the Regional Airline Network Support program. This wasn't about regional airlines specifically. It was about those regional communities, many of which but for the RANS program would not have received vital aviation support through getting in frontline medical personnel, face masks, respiratory devices and personal protective equipment. They would have literally been left high and dry but for that RANS support. We provided it, and, of course, we extended the program. We extended the Domestic Aviation Network Support program because we knew that we had to support those airlines, those communities and, most importantly, the workers. Thousands of jobs and workers have been protected under the aviation support that we have provided. We will go on supporting those workers, because they are important, they are critical and they are essential, and so are the communities that they serve through their airports and, indeed, their health services. I compliment the health minister and the regional health minister for what they have done in this regard. We will go on doing it. We will go on providing the support measures needed as we suppress the virus and get the vaccine rolled out.

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