Mr KIELY - 2003-04-29
Last month, Virgin Blue announced that it would introduce services on the Alice Springs-Sydney route from early June. How strong are the forward bookings on the new route?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question. The 20 March was a red letter day, when Virgin Blue announced - and I see the member for Araluen has her little model there; another side show.
Ms Carney: Did you get one?
Dr BURNS: I will be on the first flight in, member for Araluen. I hope you are going to be patronising Virgin Blue, too, because it is very important that the Alice Springs community get behind Virgin Blue. It is heartening to see the petition of 3500 people. The reports I am getting show that the Alice Springs community will get behind Virgin Blue. That is important to make it a success, because, all the way along, Virgin Blue said that they were interested in the business case, and in sustainability.
However, it is important to have a little history here about Virgin Blue and the Territory. It was this government, before the last election, which put up as part of our election manifesto that we would be encouraging Virgin Blue to come to the Territory. At that time, I believe it was the then Chief Minister, now Leader of the Opposition, who branded it as an election stunt. It is very important for us to encourage Virgin Blue here to start to develop air services and competition in the route, particularly after the collapse of Ansett.
I believe there has been a lot of negativity, particularly from the opposition, about Virgin Blue.
Ms Carney: Rubbish!
Dr BURNS: I will demonstrate it in a minute, member for Araluen, because in my discussions with both executives from Virgin Blue and Qantas, they were quite concerned about some of the negativity coming from some sections in Alice Springs. I thought it was so serious that I went along to Qantas and spoke to the staff there, because they felt under an incredible amount of pressure, and that they had been demonised in all of this.
However, getting back to Virgin Blue, the member for Drysdale said on the 27 February 2002, about Virgin Blue: ‘They have a shoddy fleet’. What sort of a welcome is that? What sort of support is that from the CLP for Virgin Blue? Then we had the member for Araluen, saying on 23 October 2001: ‘This government …’, meaning this side of the House, ‘… elects to support Sir Richard Branson over a local operator, which is a disgrace’. Here is the member for Araluen branding our support for Virgin Blue as a disgrace. Then we had the Lord Mayor of Darwin, Mr Peter Adamson, who used to sit on that side - well, he used to sit on that side but now he sits somewhere else. He ridiculed our support for Virgin Blue Airlines. He said: ‘It is a ridiculous proposition’. We have had a lot of negativity from that side of the House about Virgin Blue.
However, I have been pleased to say, since I have become Tourism Minister, that I work very hard to get Virgin Blue here. I know that the Alice Springs community, and the tourism community in Alice Springs, is right behind it, and they will get right behind it now that Virgin Blue is here.
In relation to forward bookings for Virgin Blue, I am informed that they are very, very strong. That is very important, because they are going to be bringing 1000 seats a week into Alice Springs. That will mean, when they start their daily service later on this year, that the level of capacity coming into Central Australia equals what it was before the collapse of Ansett and 11 September.
I am very pleased about Virgin Blue Airlines. The next step for us is to work together to try and open up more services - possibly Alice Springs to Darwin and down to Adelaide. I will certainly be engaging with the local tourism industry to do that because I believe it is very important.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question. The 20 March was a red letter day, when Virgin Blue announced - and I see the member for Araluen has her little model there; another side show.
Ms Carney: Did you get one?
Dr BURNS: I will be on the first flight in, member for Araluen. I hope you are going to be patronising Virgin Blue, too, because it is very important that the Alice Springs community get behind Virgin Blue. It is heartening to see the petition of 3500 people. The reports I am getting show that the Alice Springs community will get behind Virgin Blue. That is important to make it a success, because, all the way along, Virgin Blue said that they were interested in the business case, and in sustainability.
However, it is important to have a little history here about Virgin Blue and the Territory. It was this government, before the last election, which put up as part of our election manifesto that we would be encouraging Virgin Blue to come to the Territory. At that time, I believe it was the then Chief Minister, now Leader of the Opposition, who branded it as an election stunt. It is very important for us to encourage Virgin Blue here to start to develop air services and competition in the route, particularly after the collapse of Ansett.
I believe there has been a lot of negativity, particularly from the opposition, about Virgin Blue.
Ms Carney: Rubbish!
Dr BURNS: I will demonstrate it in a minute, member for Araluen, because in my discussions with both executives from Virgin Blue and Qantas, they were quite concerned about some of the negativity coming from some sections in Alice Springs. I thought it was so serious that I went along to Qantas and spoke to the staff there, because they felt under an incredible amount of pressure, and that they had been demonised in all of this.
However, getting back to Virgin Blue, the member for Drysdale said on the 27 February 2002, about Virgin Blue: ‘They have a shoddy fleet’. What sort of a welcome is that? What sort of support is that from the CLP for Virgin Blue? Then we had the member for Araluen, saying on 23 October 2001: ‘This government …’, meaning this side of the House, ‘… elects to support Sir Richard Branson over a local operator, which is a disgrace’. Here is the member for Araluen branding our support for Virgin Blue as a disgrace. Then we had the Lord Mayor of Darwin, Mr Peter Adamson, who used to sit on that side - well, he used to sit on that side but now he sits somewhere else. He ridiculed our support for Virgin Blue Airlines. He said: ‘It is a ridiculous proposition’. We have had a lot of negativity from that side of the House about Virgin Blue.
However, I have been pleased to say, since I have become Tourism Minister, that I work very hard to get Virgin Blue here. I know that the Alice Springs community, and the tourism community in Alice Springs, is right behind it, and they will get right behind it now that Virgin Blue is here.
In relation to forward bookings for Virgin Blue, I am informed that they are very, very strong. That is very important, because they are going to be bringing 1000 seats a week into Alice Springs. That will mean, when they start their daily service later on this year, that the level of capacity coming into Central Australia equals what it was before the collapse of Ansett and 11 September.
I am very pleased about Virgin Blue Airlines. The next step for us is to work together to try and open up more services - possibly Alice Springs to Darwin and down to Adelaide. I will certainly be engaging with the local tourism industry to do that because I believe it is very important.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016