Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to speak in the debate on the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Mutual Recognition with New Zealand) Bill 2005. This is an important bill for both Australia and New Zealand because it puts into effect and continues to make arrangements for the operation of what is effectively an open skies policy between Australia and New Zealand. At its core, the relationship between our two countries is best described as being very strong. We share in many respects a common history but, more importantly, I believe Australia and New Zealand share a common destination. For our two peoples, this relationship, with respect to the bill that is currently before the chamber, as with so many other areas of regulation and legislation between our two countries, sees our two countries moving continually towards a greater level of interoperability and mutual recognition.

For me, representing the seat of Moncrieff, based in Australia’s sixth largest city, the Gold Coast, this bill plays an important role in ensuring that the most important industry in my city—namely, tourism—is provided with the maximum opportunity to continue to flourish and continue to grow into the future. In particular, when one considers that perhaps our single largest inbound tourism market for the Gold Coast comes from New Zealand, it is very clear that governments should take whatever measures that they can to ensure that we facilitate tourism as much as possible. The bill that is currently before the chamber does just that.

For an area such as the Gold Coast, there will be, as a result of the implementation of this bill—indeed, there have been results from the implementation of other bills previously—significant benefits both for my city and also for New Zealand. In particular, the Gold Coast airport has had over the years a number of inbound flights flying directly out of New Zealand ports such as Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Each of these ports has spawned flights which are flying New Zealand tourists directly from those cities to Gold Coast airport. I have been very pleased that inbound tourism numbers from New Zealand have been particularly strong. I predict that not only will we see an increase in the number of New Zealand tourists coming into the Gold Coast but also we will see, as a consequence of bills such as this, increased investment from New Zealand. A number of New Zealanders have taken opportunities to purchase property on the Gold Coast. A number of New Zealanders have taken opportunities to export back to New Zealand products and services available on the Gold Coast. Of course, people have particular skill sets that are utilised in both countries. This kind of growth in the friendship between our nations in terms of exports and imports between both countries flows from having fewer regulations and more commonality between our two countries.

In terms of the history and the basis of the policy commitment behind this bill, we need to ensure that this closer relationship does not come at the expense of public safety. We have a great tradition in this country of Australians knowing that our aviation standards are among the very best in the world. Indeed, it is this country’s proud boast that we have one of the safest airline policies and safest forms of recognition when it comes to aviation safety that exists throughout the world. Similarly, New Zealand has a proud track record, albeit one that is slightly different in terms of the actual mechanics of the legislative framework and regulations that apply to aviation standards. In this regard, though, it is very clear that both countries remain wholly committed to ensuring that our respective peoples are not at any time jeopardised when it comes to aviation standards.

The bill recognises that our two countries, although having some differences in terms of the civil aviation framework that is in place, in broad terms are operating in parallel. In broad terms, aviation standards that apply both in Australia and in New Zealand ensure that there is compliance with international standards when it comes to aviation safety.

In terms of the mechanics of this bill, which I will just touch on briefly, it effectively ensures that there is mutual recognition of air operator certificates between Australia and New Zealand. In essence, these are the certificates required in order to operate an airline. With respect to these bills, they have application to larger aircraft that hold in excess of 30 seats or have a tonnage greater than 15,000 kilos. So this bill before the chamber today ensures that we now have a commonality of interest—mutual recognition between Australia and New Zealand with respect to civil aviation for aircraft with more than 30 seats or 15,000 kilos. I encourage the continued development and operation of mutual recognition between these two countries not only with respect to aviation but also with respect to finance, banking, payment systems, professional accreditation and a whole host of comparative measures which would see our two economies continue to come closer together.

I will touch on what to me is at the very heart of this bill—that is, the fact that we need to ensure that we continue to provide choice to the Australian people, and to the New Zealand people, to encourage tourism between our two nations. This bill does just that, and I certainly commend this bill to the chamber. This bill paves the way for an area like the Gold Coast—which has as its biggest source market New Zealand tourists; and its highest level of direct foreign investment in real estate, for example, from New Zealand—to continue to develop those relationships. It generates export growth for Gold Coast small businesses in terms of tourism and education services, for example. I commend the bill to the chamber.

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