Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committees on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport CHANSEY PO Box 6100 Parliament House PAECH MLA Canberra ACT 2600 SHOP 6 ANANGU HOUSE 44 BA TH ST I PO BOX 4592 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0870 2nd February 2018 P: 8951 5563 F: 8953 02 11 ELECTORATE.NAMAT [email protected] Dear Committee, I am writing to you in regards to the operation, regulation and funding of air route service delivery to rural, regional and remote communities. As the Member for Namatjira in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, I wish to outline to the Committee the social and economic impacts of air route supply and airfare pricing as per the terms of reference, specifically, in regards to Central Australia and surrounding communities. As the Member for Namatjira, an electorate which spans the rural area of Alice Springs and surrounding remote communities, I have liaised with many constituents who have been negatively impacted by the high costs of airfares in our area. Airfare prices in Alice Springs are notoriously expensive, with a common assertion being that flights between Alice Springs and Australian capital cities are often more costly than those between these capital cities and international destinations. The impact this has on the local community is significant. Many local families and individuals in our region have simply been priced out of the market, leaving them unable to go on holidays or visit family via plane travel. Many of my constituents forego seeing friends and family in other parts of Australia, whilst others choose to drive for days to reach capital cities, so as not to pay the high costs. Others simply do not have access to registered vehicles able to travel these distances. In addition, the flights both to and from Alice Springs are so costly that residents often choose to drive the 460-odd kilometres from Alice Springs to the airport situated near Uluru, in order to take advantage of the vastly cheaper airfares available there. This is unsustainable, and has a detrimental impact on the local tourist economy as many visitors to Central Australia are now choosing to bypass Alice Springs in their travels altogether. Another important consideration is the effect on our health sector. Health organisations and those who use their services in our communities are majorly impacted by the high costs of airfares out of Alice Springs. It is a significant factor in both the retention and recruitment of health workers out bush, as workers do not wish to move to Central Australia and face the higher costs in order to take allotted leave entitlements. It also makes it vastly more difficult for organisations to send their staff elsewhere for training and professional development. Expensive airfares also impact the lives of those out bush who utilise these health services. Although individuals who need to travel to Darwin or Adelaide for specialist medical services are covered by the Northern Territory Government’s Patient Assisted Travel Scheme, their families are not. These patients can often be stuck away from home for prolonged periods of time, getting increasingly homesick, missing both family and country. Wanting to travel to provide emotional and cultural support to the family member stuck in hospital in an unfamiliar place, families try to get the money together to visit them. This puts significant pressure on both families and social support and health organisations. If they are unsuccessful, significant emotional distress is suffered. The high cost of airfares in our region is an ongoing issue, and I highly recommend that the Senate Inquiry come to Alice Springs in order to fully comprehend the various ways that this impacts our lives and communities. Yours sincerely, Chansey Paech Member for Namatjira .