BROKEN Hill City Council would like to see a Regional Zone Cap Fare Scheme put in place for airfares.
Council, at its Ordinary Meeting held in May 2024, considered a Mayoral Minute which called for Council to make representations to the NSW State Government.
It wanted Government to initiate discussions between Regional Express Airlines and Qantas Airways to establish a Regional Zone Cap Fare Scheme.
During Council’s January meeting, Councillor Bob Algate said the scheme worked wonderfully in Western Australia.
“We are in crying need in regional areas to have affordable airfares,” he said.
Cr Algate said that regional areas deserve the same sorts of privileges that city areas receive.
He said there needs to be more incentives for those in the public sector to be able to fly to Sydney and other metropolitan areas.
“The Federal Government has secured $50 million to cover Regional Express Airline’s debt – surely something could be worked out for airfares,” he said.
In correspondence from Jenny Aitchison MP, Minister for Regional and Western NSW, it was revealed that the Australian Government has directed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to monitor domestic airfares until the end of 2026. The next Productivity Commission inquiry will review regional airfares.
Deputy Mayor Jim Hickey said the correspondence from Ministers was “weak”.
“The scheme works perfectly in WA,” he said.
“I thought the replies were weak, we need to write again and push much harder.
“We need to write to the same people again and mention the Government is covering Rex’s debt.”
Councillor Darriea Turley suggested face-to-face meetings with the ministers.
“We need to make representation, meet face-to-face, meet again and again.
“It’s harder to say no.”
Councillor Michael Boland also suggested a push for more TrainLink Services.
As Minister Aitchison wrote in her correspondence that as well as the available commercial air services, NSW TrainLink provides services between Broken Hill and Sydney.
“To mention the train service that only runs once a week, was pretty weak,” Cr Boland said.
“We need to push to have a service three times a week.”
