REX AIRLINES

Regional communities like Mount Gambier and surrounds know first-hand the importance of regional airlines to connect travellers to Australia’s capital cities.

Rex employs 1500 staff within the company, but it also delivers FIFO services through its subsidiary National Jet Systems meaning that the impact on Australian regional employment is significant.

2.5 million passengers per year use Rex Airlines. Most critically, Rex enables the seven million Australians living outside of capital cities to access the critical services that are unavailable locally. Many Limestone Coast residents rely on Rex to travel for lifesaving health treatment in Adelaide.

Regional air services also bolster the economy of regional cities like Mount Gambier by providing affordable airfares for business and tourism travel.

I applaud the decision to keep regional routes like Mount Gambier operational to ensure this vital connection is maintained, at least in the short term.

If Rex were allowed to fail it would be catastrophic for the regional communities across Australia.

The reality is the aviation sector has spent two years battling economic headwinds created by the Albanese Government, the economy has stalled, and business travel has stagnated.

Labor has embarked on industrial relation reforms, including sector wide bargaining, and driven up the cost of doing business, all of these factors are hurting Australia’s aviation sector.

Minister Catherine King has been dithering and delaying for two years now over aviation reforms which has only perpetuated the lack of competition in our skies.

One regional Australian airline going under is disappointing, but for two to collapse under the Albanese Government is no coincidence.

For Limestone Coast residents this signals yet another gross failure of the Albanese Labor Government.

The Government needs to ensure that Rex doesn't fail, and yet we are yet to hear anything of substance from the Minister indicating support for the airline.

Our regional communities deserve better.