It’s been a big week for news in the airline industry affecting our region.
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On Monday, we spoke to the office of Barry O’Sullivan the Senator in charge of the regional air inquiry.
The inquiry into the operation, regulation and funding of air route service delivery to rural, regional and remote communities, to give it its full name has met in Cloncurry and other regional centres to hear how the high cost of air fares is hurting regional communities.
But for many months, the inquiry is waiting on a date for one final but very important hearing.
The inquiry has yet to hear from the big airlines Qantas and Virgin and no date has yet been set for their date with the senators.
That hearing would most likely be held in Sydney or Canberra and when we asked in September and again on Monday no date had yet to be set though discussions were ongoing between senators and the parties involved.
The Senator’s office diplomatically blamed the hectic schedule of politicians (and the government upheaval in recent months has not helped) but the cynic in me suggests the airlines themselves are the culprits.
They know that if they stonewall long enough, they can possibly outlast the inquiry as it must be completed before the next election which is likely to be no later than May 2019.
In better airline news Qantas has extended its residents fares program while the regulated route scheme to Karumba has also been extended 12 months.
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And Friday was Lydia Lynch’s last day with the North West Star. Lydia joined us from the Katherine Times and has made an immediate impact at the paper.
She now moves to the Brisbane Times where I expect to see her byline on big news from George St and elsewhere in the state capital.
I know she will retain a fondness for the North West and hope she gives us the drop on any news from Brisbane that affects our region.
I’m sure she will go on to great things and on behalf of the North West Star I wish her the best for her future career – Derek Barry
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
