Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan has alleviated some concerns within the State’s minerals industry, last week explaining the State Government’s proposed regional air services policy to an industry forum.
Needing to rationalise regional services, the Government earlier this year proposed amalgamating some company charter flights with regular passenger transport flights.
Mining and energy companies feared this would increase costs and destroy the flexibility of current arrangements.
The Department for Planning and Infrastructure will talk with companies and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy over the next few weeks.
The DPI will then prepare a briefing paper detailing regulatory, safety, cost and operational impact issues, to form the basis of further discussion between the DPI and the CME’s aviation reference group.
"We are also in the business of sustaining other industries and their operations," CME director David Parker said.