Tasmanian Mayor threatens local newspaper with legal action as regional airline pulls service

KING Island Council and airline Regional Express are at war again after the council threatened the local newspaper with legal action.

King Island Mayor Duncan McFie is considering legal action against the King Island Courier over its coverage of the disagreement between airline Rex and the council. Picture: David Geraghty

KING Island Council and airline Regional Express are at war again after the council threatened the local newspaper with legal action.

The airline and the council were locked in a feud over landing and airport fees earlier this year and the airline cut two weekly flights from Melbourne to Currie as a result.

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Last month, the standoff seemed to have been resolved when Tourism Tasmania CEO John Fitzgerald was appointed by the State Government to intervene in the dispute.

The council agreed to place its airport charge increases on hold until April 1 and broker a longer-term deal with the airline.

The council has since taken legal action against the King Island Courier over its coverage of the disagreement between Rex and the council in an article on September 19.

On Monday, Rex said it would no longer continue the two weekly reinstated services.

“I view this law suit against a newspaper for saying exactly the same things that Rex has said in public as nothing but a disguised attempt to sully Rex’s reputation,” Rex executive chairman Lim Kim Hai said.

“Rex will no longer be continuing the two weekly return services that were recently reinstated. This very marginal route has consumed too much management effort.”

King Island Mayor Duncan McFie said he had written to Rex to clarify its position against the newspaper. Cr McFie said he had made it clear the issue was with the language used in the article and not with Rex.

King Island Courier editor Kathleen Hunter declined to comment.