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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 4 Hansard (29 March) . . Page.. 1030 ..

MR SPEAKER: You cannot do it in question time, I am afraid.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, the reality is that Impulse Airlines is, as we know, the third largest airline in Australia. We also know that Virgin, the newcomer, is going to Brisbane at a figure about six times that of the one for Impulse coming to Canberra. I would have to say that there is not another airline, apart from possibly Hazelton, and we do have an offer on the table for Hazelton but their board has not made a decision on it over a significant period. Mr Speaker, if it is not to be Impulse, who is it to be?

It is very obvious that those opposite, yet again, are being negative for the sake of it. It was of interest to me today to see a media release from the TWU. Here it is; I knew that I had it here somewhere. It says that Trevor Santi, secretary of the Transport Workers Union, has lent the considerable weight of the union to the plans to create an enhanced aerospace industry at Canberra Airport. Mr Santi said that the proposed Impulse Airlines deal and subsequent economic flow-on to regional business would provide a much needed boost to new employment opportunities as well as underpinning existing jobs in transport-related dependent enterprises, and so it goes on.

Mr Corbell: Relevance, Mr Speaker.

MS CARNELL: If that is not relevant, I do not know what is. Mr Speaker, with regard to job numbers and what we actually expect from Impulse Airlines, it has a very sound and extremely comprehensive business plan which those opposite who have been interested have been run through. To pretend for a moment that they have not seen any of the information, the actual business plan, from Impulse is simply not to tell the whole truth.

Mr Quinlan: Which numbers? Which business plan?

MS CARNELL: The business plan that Impulse showed you. Mr Stanhope did not bother to turn up at the meeting. Maybe he has seen it since then; I do not know. Mr Speaker, the comprehensive business plan relates to developing jet services on, initially, the Sydney to Melbourne route and then the Sydney to Brisbane route. Only later will it extend services to other capitals. At that stage, in the initial approach that Impulse took, Canberra was a long way down the track. In other words, they were looking at going from Sydney to Brisbane and Sydney to Melbourne. Canberra was on the radar, but quite a long way down there, Mr Speaker.

Mr McGowan certainly had recognised the potential of Canberra for his airline, but he was not planning to include it in the short term. As we now know, Impulse has seen the very considerable benefits of coming to Canberra on the basis, I have to say, of a not insignificant investment from the Canberra community and the ACT Government in that approach. Mr Speaker, the number of jobs is significant, not just direct but indirect. If the argument here is whether it is about 360 or 400 direct job - - -

Mr Stanhope: What does the statement of intent say?

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