Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. Would the minister advise the House of the measures the government is taking to ensure the growth of our aviation industry?

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Minister for Transport and Regional Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Hinkler for his question. I acknowledge his keen interest in transport issues and particularly in aviation matters. I am pleased to report to the House that, last week, the government secured an agreement with Brazil on a draft treaty to provide scheduled air services between our two countries. This agreement has the potential to strengthen the links, the trade and other opportunities between Australia and one of the fastest growing economies in the world—a country with 180 million people—and to increase interests and matters in common with Australia. This new agreement will allow international airlines of both countries to operate up to seven weekly services, using any type of passenger aircraft. They will also be able to operate up to three weekly air cargo services each, and that will provide opportunities to build also the air freight between our countries.

Forty thousand people travelled between Brazil and Australia in the 12 months to October 2005. This is a market that has been growing at about eight per cent per annum since 1999. Our yearly airfreighted exports to Brazil are valued at $42 million.

While no airline at the moment has plans to take up these rights, it does give us the opportunity to develop services over the months and years ahead and to broaden the travel opportunities between Australia and South America. Over the last 12 months my department has held a wide range of bilateral aviation discussions with countries like Argentina, Austria, Germany, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom and also informal discussions with the United States of America. We are achieving, bit by bit, opportunities for Australian airlines to operate into other parts of the world and to provide more opportunities for Australians to have choice in the way in which they travel around the world and to visit more countries by way of direct services.