Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Deputy Speaker, the first step in any growth strategy is to protect your core. It is to do more with your strengths. One of the great strengths of the Sunshine Coast is our airport, and it's not just any airport. This is now a fully-fledged international airport with a brand new runway opened just last week, and it, is indeed, open for business. This government has delivered for this project. There was a raft of approvals, a reclassification of the airport and a $181 million concessional loan—a trifecta, effectively. And today, in the face of all the challenges around COVID-19, the Sunshine Coast Airport has announced a deal with Alliance Airlines for direct flights for the very first time between the Sunshine Coast and Cairns, a route that could not have opened up unless they had this new runway. Of course, if and when the Queensland Premier ever decides to open the borders, we will see the interstate flights resume. When there is a 'trans-Tasman bubble', we will see the flights to New Zealand resume. And when the world opens up post-COVID there will be a direct link for the first time to Australia's lifestyle capital, the Sunshine Coast. Congratulations to the Sunny Coast Airport. (Time expired)