Page 2762 - Week 09 - Thursday, 26 August 1993
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MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Connolly, I think that does range into the hypothetical, but I will leave you to make what you want of it.
MR CONNOLLY: Yes. I would also say that, while I am responsible for land transport, and the ever more efficient ACTION bus fleet in particular, this issue falls within the portfolio responsibilities of the Chief Minister in respect of economic development.
MS FOLLETT: I can say to Mr Westende, Madam Speaker, that I consider that it would be of enormous benefit to the Territory if we did have an international airport here. It would be of benefit to our tourism industry, without any doubt, and it would be of benefit also to our wider economic development. As members will know, for some time we have been working towards creating an international freight hub at Canberra Airport and we have done some studies in connection with that ambition on behalf of the Territory. Madam Speaker, Mr Westende referred in particular to the Olympics. It is quite clear that if Sydney is successful in its bid for the Olympics it would be of enormous benefit to this Territory if we had an international airport. It would mean, for instance, that we could bring visitors direct to Canberra and then on to Sydney for the Olympics or vice versa. I do expect that the Olympics will generate tourism to this Territory. Indeed, that is a large part of the reason why, as a government, we have supported the Sydney bid for the Olympics - because of the spin-offs to the Territory.
I can advise Mr Westende that I have recently formed a small working party aimed at furthering our wish to have an international airport in the Territory. I had discussions in very general terms some time ago with the Federal Airports Corporation, which is in charge of our airport. I believe that we need now to take a rather more proactive stance on the issue; so I have formed a small working party. They will be pursuing the issue with the Federal Airports Corporation. They will be seeking to gain support from ACT industry, in particular the tourism industry, and generally developing a case for our airport to become international. In developing that case, Madam Speaker, I believe that members will realise that we really are in competition with a number of other centres in Australia and that it will be a very tough battle to get Canberra upgraded to an international airport. Nevertheless, we are working on it and, as far as I am concerned, the sooner it occurs the better.
MR WESTENDE: I have a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Is the Chief Minister aware that we have some 26 international airports in Australia and that we would be about the only national capital in the world that does not have an international airport?
MS FOLLETT: I am aware of that, Madam Speaker, and I think it makes the case for this Territory to have a international airport all the more pressing. As I have outlined to Mr Westende, it is not something that we have just put on a wish list and hoped to achieve; it is something that we are actively working upon. I am sure that the move will be welcomed by ACT industries and ACT business people because, as I say, it opens up our economic opportunities to an extent that has not been possible so far.
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