Member for Warren-Blackwood, Terry Redman said it is encouraging the City of Busselton is getting closer to signing a contract with an airline to provide passenger services between Busselton and Melbourne.
“This opens up the possibility for additional flights from Sydney and Singapore,” Mr Redman said.
“Interstate, and possibly international, flights are a game changer for the South West region.”
It has been predicted that providing visitors a direct gateway into one of WA’s top tourism destinations would pump an extra $11.4 million into the South West economy per year. (WA Today Oct 5, 2018)
“I applaud the City of Busselton on actively pursuing their continued negotiations with Jetstar,” Mr Redman said.
“At the same time, I note the State Government has been ‘missing in action’ and not done any ‘heavy lifting’ regarding securing an airline service for Busselton.
“The McGowan Government has put their effort into ‘selfies with quokkas’ on Rottnest and events in the Swan Valley.
“It is time for the McGowan Government to prioritise tourism outside metropolitan Perth, as both tourists and the State will be winners.
“Minister McTiernan must honour her previous statements and release funding earmarked for the airport terminal,” Mr Redman said.
In Parliament last year (14 June 2018), the Minister stated, ‘there needs to be some sort of commitment from an airline before we proceed with that contract to build the terminal’.
