Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

in reply—I thank all members for their contributions to this debate on the Aviation Legislation Amendment (International Airline Licences and Carriers’ Liability Insurance) Bill 2008. I particularly thank the member for Blaxland for his very generous comments. In the short time he has been the member for Blaxland, he has been an outstanding representative of his local community and has made strong representations about Bankstown Airport and other infrastructure issues involving Western Sydney.

This bill streamlines and improves two aviation regulatory schemes. The international airline licence system will be updated to enhance the Australian government’s ability to ensure that airlines are complying with licence conditions. The bill will also improve the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s ability to ensure that airlines hold an appropriate contract of insurance to compensate passengers in the event of an accident. These changes will streamline the mandatory aviation insurance scheme and cut down the paperwork for airlines and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority alike. It is in the context of developing a national aviation strategy that the government continues to pursue reforms through the two pieces of aviation legislation which will be carried by the House of Representatives today.

As the member for Blaxland mentioned, we also need to embark on a national aviation strategy. It is something that we have never had from any Australian government before now. I had a successful meeting this morning with my department again on the work leading up to the production of the aviation green paper. As an island continent, we rely very much on aviation—more so than most countries on earth—for our economic productivity and our cultural and other links with the rest of the world. That is why, whilst individual pieces of legislation such as this are important, it is also important that we actually have a strategic, long-term framework. That is what the government is doing in producing a green paper, which will lead to a national aviation strategy through a white paper process in 2009. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Ordered that the bill be reported to the House without amendment.

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