Half price flights: Mildura, Albury-Wodonga missed in COVID discount scheme snub

Drought, bushfires and border closures have crushed Victoria’s border towns, but in a further blow to tourism they’ve been left off the discounted flights list.

Murray River cities hit hard by border closures fear people will choose to travel elsewhere after they missed out on funding for discounted flights.

Mildura and Albury-Wodonga were not among the 10 cut-price destinations offered to Melburnians under a Federal Government scheme announced on Thursday, March 11.

This is despite the pandemic’s impact on tourism in border communities.

Mildura Airport chief executive Trevor Willcock said with the region a destination for Qantas and Rex flights it was a “definite disappointment” not to be on the list.

Mr Willcock said tourism was a big part of the region’s economy.

“I think it would have given a big boost immediately because Mildura is a great holiday destination, and if you can get a discounted flight, why wouldn’t you take it,” he said.

“The reverse may happen.

“People looking to book a place might not visit Mildura at all because there are discounts available elsewhere.”

Mildura Regional Development chief executive Brett Millington said the impact of cheaper flights could have been “quite significant”.

Mr Millington said the March long weekend had been positive, with strong bookings on Saturday in particular.

However, he said the impact COVID has had on regional airports deserved more recognition.

Business Wodonga president Graham Jenkin said he was extremely disappointed that Albury-Wodonga would not receive any benefits from the Federal Government’s funding for the tourism and aviation sectors.

“On top of the incredibly difficult sustained COVID restrictions, the border communities of Albury and Wodonga have been at the centre of a long-term drought, historic bushfires and multiple border closures,” Mr Jenkin said.

“The rates of business closures have been devastating and rapidly increasing at an alarming rate.

“It is shocking that initiatives such as the Tourism Aviation Network Support Program and the Recovery for Regional Tourism Program that can exclude an entire regional area on multiple occasions without some call for accountability and representation from the local and state leadership.”

Mildura Airport welcomes Qantas and Rex flights from Melbourne. Picture: Glenn Milne

Federal Nationals Member for Mallee Anne Webster said “of course” she was disappointed Mildura wasn’t on the list.

“I come from here, so that goes without saying,” Dr Webster said.

“I understand this particular initial rollout is specifically about international (visitor) destinations that have obviously been hit very hard.

“We know that we’ve been hit hard as well and that’s why we want our borders to remain open – please – so people will at least travel around Australia.

“I believe there are other investments coming.”

Regional Health Minister Mark Coulton, visiting Mildura on Thursday, said existing schemes funding support for regional aviation remained in place.

Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino called for more Victorian destinations to be added to the program, mentioning Albury.

“(There’s) nothing at Albury for people wanting to holiday on the Murray or the high country, so this is a disappointing outcome,” Mr Merlino said.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, who visited Albury on Thursday, said it was disappointing that Albury had missed out on the tourism funding as a town that was hit hard by the border closures.

“People from cities all over the country should be coming to places like Albury,” Mr Perrottet said.

“We’ve had situations in the past where premiers, for political purposes, have shut their borders at the detriment of their tourism industry and are now receiving a hand out subsidised by the tax payers of NSW.

“We will always act in the national interest, but having premiers like Annastacia Palaszczuk in NSW locking us out and then asking for a hand out is disappointing.”