Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister and relates to the draft Productivity Commission report titled Review of price regulation of airport services. Are you aware that the report recommends that some regional airline slots into Sydney Airport be replaced by international or domestic airlines, with regional airlines to be moved to Bankstown? In 2001 the then Minister for Transport and Regional Services said:

We—

the government—

have guaranteed that regional airlines will continue to have access to Sydney Airport, and our guarantee is solid.

The minister went on to say:

Our guarantee on regional access will not be affected by the privatisation of Sydney Airport.

Prime Minister, given that there are great concerns about so-called privatisations and guarantees, will you today squash the recommendation of the Productivity Commission?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can inform the member for New England that the government has every intention of meeting the guarantees that have been made in relation to this matter. This is an issue that has been raised repeatedly with the government by people such as the member for Parkes, the member for Riverina, the member for Farrer, that member for Groom, the member for Kalgoorlie, the member for O’Connor and the member for Forrest—in fact, the broad sweep of regional members, including the member for Leichhardt. They have all raised this matter. I say to all of them that, as a result of your representations and in line with the good faith of the government in relation to these matters, the earlier election undertakings will be honoured in full.