Mr ELFERINK - 1999-04-22
I have repeatedly in the past pursued the matter of an airstrip at the Docker River community in my electorate. I am just wondering if the minister can foreshadow any work being done in that area?
ANSWER
Well, Mr Speaker, it’s not for me to release any details out of the Treasurer’s budget document.
However, Docker River has a particular problem. It doesn’t meet CASA standards, in fact, it becomes flooded at certain parts of the airstrip during certain times of the year, and it is in need of a major upgrade down there, and at least lifting it up out of the flood zone. It also, of course, will one day be a very strategic and important airstrip if the outback highway is built from Perth to the Reef and Cairns, in particular. We can say that, after the intense lobbying that we’ve had from the member for MacDonnell, that an amount of $300 000 will be put into this year’s budget to ensure all-weather and CASA standards are met at Docker River. And to assure that community, a significant community of 350 people, who rely on the airport as a vital link to the rest of the world, it will be completed.
I have just received some correspondence about the state of the roads from people conducting courses in that Docker River region etc, and that road is a very hard road to maintain. But we must at least have one transport link available and open all year around for medivac emergencies etc, and this particular airstrip will receive, as I said, almost $300 000 to ensure that it does meet CASA standards.
ANSWER
Well, Mr Speaker, it’s not for me to release any details out of the Treasurer’s budget document.
However, Docker River has a particular problem. It doesn’t meet CASA standards, in fact, it becomes flooded at certain parts of the airstrip during certain times of the year, and it is in need of a major upgrade down there, and at least lifting it up out of the flood zone. It also, of course, will one day be a very strategic and important airstrip if the outback highway is built from Perth to the Reef and Cairns, in particular. We can say that, after the intense lobbying that we’ve had from the member for MacDonnell, that an amount of $300 000 will be put into this year’s budget to ensure all-weather and CASA standards are met at Docker River. And to assure that community, a significant community of 350 people, who rely on the airport as a vital link to the rest of the world, it will be completed.
I have just received some correspondence about the state of the roads from people conducting courses in that Docker River region etc, and that road is a very hard road to maintain. But we must at least have one transport link available and open all year around for medivac emergencies etc, and this particular airstrip will receive, as I said, almost $300 000 to ensure that it does meet CASA standards.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016