Regional Capitals Australia Backs Call to Fund Regional Airports

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Regional Capitals Australia (RCA) today joined the Australian Airports Association (AAA) in calling for a Regional Airports Infrastructure Fund to be included in the upcoming Budget.

Regional Capitals Australia Chair and City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Samantha McIntosh said that funding was needed to ensure regional airports would be able to adhere to security regulations and consistently maintain airport infrastructure.

“We are backing the AAA’s pre-budget submission and their call for a $100 million Regional Airport Infrastructure Fund,” Cr McIntosh said.

“Regional airports are fundamental to the success of regional Australia, they enable the movement of people and products and assist in responding to emergencies when tragedy strikes.”

“This investment will ensure our communities have access to air travel, breaking down the tyranny of distance and keeping our communities connected to opportunities in Australia and around the world,” Cr McIntosh said.

Regional airports service their regional cities by providing:

  • Business travel to and from the metropolitan cities, particularly for fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers;
  • Access to metropolitan services for those living in regional cities;
  • Easy access to unique destinations for domestic and international tourists;
  • Emergency and medical hubs, which facilitate the delivery of time-sensitive items
  • Over 6000 patient rescues, evacuations and transfers collectively each year.

“Approximately 45 per cent of all tourism opportunities in Australia are within regional Australia, yet many regional airports do not have the funding they need to cater to the growing tourism market,” Cr McIntosh said.

“RCA will continue to ensure the priorities of our members, including the ongoing funding of regional airports, remains a high priority for the Federal Government as we prepare for the Budget and Federal election,” concluded Cr McIntosh.

Contact

Angela Scicluna

P: 03 8658 5715

E: secretariat@regionalcapitalsaustralia.org

About Regional Capitals Australia

Regional Capitals Australia (RCA) is a national alliance of local government councils across the nation representing Australia’s regional cities. RCA’s mission is to provide a recognised platform to champion the strategic importance and sustainable development of regional capitals around the nation. To learn more about our work visit http://regionalcapitalsaustralia.org.

Available for Interview
Cr Samantha McIntosh – Chair, Regional Capitals Australia