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January 29 2018 - 9:20PM

Council fold to increased pressure for aircraft lobby groups, retract proposed overnight parking charges

• Lachlan Grey
  
  

Local News


HIGH-FLYERS: A satisfied Geoff Breust (far left) with members of the Wagga City Aero Club following council's decision to retract overnight parking fees at Wagga Airport.

Wagga City Council has quietly ceded to ongoing pressure from aircraft owners after shelving plans to charge visiting aircraft overnight parking fees.

More than two months of lobbying paid dividends for the Wagga City Aero Club, whose members arrived in force to Monday’s ordinary council meeting.

Both WCAC president Geoff Breust and Aircraft Owner and Pilots Association of Australia president Ben Morgan stood to deliver impassioned speeches condemning the proposed overnight parking charges to a packed public chamber.

During his speech, Mr Breust slammed the “disgraceful” management of Wagga Airport and council’s failure to consult the Airport Advisory Committee.

“The parking charges are not cost effective and the charges were not consulted through the airport advisory committee,” he said.

“Furthermore, the fees are discriminatory towards aircraft owners and a proper cost-benefit analysis is yet to be delivered.”

AOPA’s Mr Morgan followed suit in taking aim at council’s perception of aircraft owners.
“General aviation is not made up of wealthy people,” he told the chamber.

The pair asked council to reinstate the agreed landing fees from 2016/17 and reject overnight parking charges.

In the ensuing debate, commercial operations director Caroline Angel said she was unaware of any failings but recognised the need for action.

“I believe we need to significantly investigate our airport operations … there is significant work to be done in a number of areas,” she said.

Ultimately, council voted to reinstate the 2016/17 landing fees and put parking charges to the consideration of the Airport Advisory Committee, drawing satisfied applause from the floor.

“It was a really good outcome,” Mr Breust said.

“Firstly, they’ve now removed the restriction that you have to be a Wagga resident to take up the option of an annual landing fee and they’ve also decided to remove parking charges and refer it to the Airport Advisory Committee.”

Following this success, Mr Breust hopes to see the AAC develop into a formal management committee.

“We’ve been given a complete charter to review the airport operations in terms of the budgetary implications … and hopefully council takes us one step further so we can have real input.”