State KAP Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter has accused governments of failing rural and regional Australians by refusing to intervene in the high cost of airfares.
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Mr Katter's comments follow Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad's comments the Mount Isa-Townsville air route does not need regulation to drive down prices.
Last week Ms Trad said she wanted more competition not regulation and airlines needed to respond to demand by "being more competitive."
However Mr Katter said one-way flights from Mount Isa to the coast are often more than $500 and closer to $1000 in busy times.
"The Treasurer's comments sounded like they came straight from the Liberal Party, which is the age old adage to just 'let the market sort it out' and that there is no role for government to play," Mr Katter said.
"The market has been allowed to sort this out for years and things are worse than ever.
Mr Katter said there was little competitive tension between carriers in the Mount Isa region and airfare prices were rising despite increased passenger numbers which showed clear market failure and the need for government intervention.
"People are kidding themselves if they believe competition is the answer on air routes in small centres like Mount Isa - they are ignoring reality," he said.
"It is beyond disappointing that in Queensland Labor Government has turned its back on many the workers and residents who are battling out in the rural and regional areas due to burden of flight costs.
"Mount Isa delivers so much economic benefit to the state - we need people to live out here, but these people need to be able to pay reasonable amounts of money to come and go.
"It is in everyone's best interests if our resource and industry-rich smaller centres grow and prosper, and I can tell you now that in the case of Mount Isa one of the greatest hindrances to this is the cost of flights."
Mr Katter said the long-awaited Senate Inquiry Report into rural and regional airfares had failed dismally by recommending yet another report at taxpayers' expense, this time by the Productivity Commission.
He said the State Government had the power to demand pricing data from airlines and to regulate routes, two moves he believes could significantly drive down the high costs imposed on Mount Isa passengers.
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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.
