[Peetwo]

Senate Inquiry into Regional Aviation? 

Via X three days ago: https://x.com/senbmckenzie/status/1983077600064070142

Senator The Hon. Bridget McKenzie
@senbmckenzie

Great news this afternoon with the announcement of a Senate Inquiry into regional aviation. This a big win for the Coalition, Crossbench and the Greens, against Labor's attempts to shut down scrutiny over the challenges faced by regional aviation service providers.

The inquiry will take a hard look at how to deliver reliable, affordable air services to rural, regional and remote communities - something Minister King's preferred option of a Productivity Commission inquiry will also look at but which won’t report on until 2027.

Its broad terms of reference will examine long-standing issues such as security and regulatory cost-recovery, airport disparities, service competitiveness, and government fees and levies that make regional flying more expensive.

Regional aviation is a lifeline - connecting people to health care, emergency services, business, tourism and family. This inquiry will help ensure those connections remain strong, affordable and fair, no matter where Australians live.

By reviewing past recommendations and exploring practical reforms - including how to fund regional airport security costs - the Senate is taking a proactive step to strengthen the regional aviation network and support regional development.

Via the Senate Hansard the TOR: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/28859/&sid=0000

Senator DAVID POCOCK (Australian Capital Territory—Independent ACT Whip) (16:28): At the request of Senator Lambie, I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 25 February 2026:

The state of Australia's aviation sector and its ability to deliver reliable and affordable services to rural, regional and remote communities, with particular reference to:

(a) costs, fees, levies, taxes and charges that are core components to the pricing of airfares and associated services;

(b) disparities of these costs across rural, regional and remote airports and the basis for the disparities;

© mechanisms for recovering federally mandated security and regulatory costs and options for achieving greater financial equity across the aviation sector, including the merits of a uniform national levy to cover security arrangements;

(d) competitiveness of the aviation sector to service regional, rural and remote communities and the implications of reducing or withdrawing those services;

(e) adequacy of government fees and levies to equitably address costs for airline services incurred due to federal legislation and regulations;

(f) effectiveness of government processes and mechanisms to identify and quantify capital and ongoing costs due to federal legislation and regulations;

(g) policy and practical measures in place, or that could be established, to assist the aviation sector to provide services to rural, regional and remote communities;

(h) review of government responses to recommendations from previous relevant inquiries and the status of associated actions; and

(i) any other related matters.

MTF...P2