Election 2025: ADG, Top End Tourism react to coalition cabotage election promise
Industry groups say they are supportive of any measures that lead to increased connectivity and more affordable airfares for communities and visitors, but have hedged on whether the coalition’s cabotage policy will deliver results.
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Industry groups say they are supportive of any measures that lead to increased connectivity and more affordable airfares for communities and visitors, but have hedged on whether the coalition’s cabotage policy will deliver results.
The Dutton coalition on Wednesday pledged a two-year trial to allow international airlines to stop at Darwin airport and pick up passengers for domestic routes, if it wins government.
The Airport Development Group said it would “carefully consider” the announcement by the coalition regarding proposed changes to cabotage policy to understand the mechanics and potential impacts on the regional aviation sector.
“More carriers can bring airfares down and create more choice for the travelling public, as we’ve seen in the growing international market,” it said in a statement.
“Aviation in regional Australia is complex, and it’s important to maintain a model that is sustainable.”
The peak body representing Top End tourism said more, cheaper, options in and out of Darwin would be good for tourism.
However Tourism Top End general manager Sam Bennett said she was not certain people would use the flights.
“I think it would probably bring us another 20 per cent seat capacity. Those flights we are getting right are not full right now … there is a bit of work that needs to be done to fill those spaces,” she said.
“Cabotage may open up a new route that we don’t already have but I wouldn’t want to see them competing on something we have already got.
“It has to be a new route.
“What we really need at the moment is to fill the capacity we have currently got. If the seats are not filled the fares will stay high.
“One of the advantages would be getting some good freight capacity back which would be really good for business.”
Solomon MP Luke Gosling labelled it a “non-announcement” from the coalition, saying the Albanese government’s Aviation White Paper already committed to opening up domestic routes to international carriers on a case-by-case basis.
The caveat being that under Labor’s policy there must be demand that no Australian operator is able to satisfy, or where there is a proposed route not currently served by an Australian operator.
“We will consider requests by airlines when demand is there,” Mr Gosling said.
“The difference is, (the coalition) policy is a raw deal for local aviation firms and workers, who won’t see a cent. It completely sells out Territory jobs and local businesses just to chase a headline.”
Shadow Transport Minister Bridget McKenzie was at Darwin Airport for the announcement, and said Territorians were “being held hostage by the Qantas group”.
“They will say the demand is not there. Well, you probably travel to the east coast and down south, and you know the planes are full and the ticket prices are still high,” she said.
Originally published as Election 2025: ADG, Top End Tourism react to coalition cabotage election promise
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