TRANSCRIPT:  INTERVIEW WITH MARLA SOMMERS, 16 JANUARY 2024

Subjects: Wagga Wagga Airport

E&OE 

STARTS: 12:45pm

ENDS: 12:50pm

MARLA SOMMERS:

Wagga Council has listed the airport as one of the top priorities of 2024, what are your thoughts on that?

MICHAEL McCORMACK:

Well, the lease needs to be extended. The airport is the gateway to the Riverina, the gateway, certainly to our city. And for so many people, nearly a quarter million people use that airport to fly, to Wagga Wagga and to fly out of the city. Indeed, we need the airport to be its best self and the lease needs to be extended.

That's one of any number of priorities for the council it is also the roads. I talked to people, for them the roads is the only conversation in town. There are so many other things that the council obviously has its priorities this year, and that's important they're addressing it.

MARLA SOMMERS:

Is a 50 or 100-year lease a realistic goal for the council?

MICHAEL McCORMACK:

Well, whatever the lease might be, the lease needs to happen and I'm sure the Defence will work with Wagga Wagga City Council, I know that these discussions have been ongoing. But it's important that we do have a lease. I've never been in favour of Wagga Wagga City Council owning the airport outright, I think it is important that the ownership of the airport remains to Defence.

We need Air Force Wagga Wagga to be that RAAF that has provided for so many years millions upon millions of dollars to our city. We have 5,000 defence recruits who come to the Air Force, Navy and Army here in Wagga Wagga each and every year they do their training, they do their exercises here in Wagga Wagga. This is a Defence city, and we need that airport to be in the ownership of the defence so that RAAF can continue to have that long association that they've had going back to the 1930s.

That's important, but a lease is important so that the Wagga Wagga City Council can get on with making sure that they have that arrangement with the airport so that visitors can still come here so that the airport can do everything that it has always done in the past. I think the leasing is an important issue for council to arrange with defence, I am more than happy to help facilitate that, as I have done in the past.

MARLA SOMMERS:

A Federal Review into the defence base wrapped up in December. Are there any outcomes or impacts for the RAAF base that would keep the airport ownership?

MICHAEL McCORMACK:

Well, what I do know is that we are spending as a government $1.4 billion on infrastructure upgrades and that's for a RAAF Wagga, a new mess, a new Barracks, and a new swimming pool. A whole host of new amenities for the RAAF base. This is important because the accommodation for the recruits while they do their training and for anybody else who lives on site it dates back to the 50s and 60s.

Now that is not in this modern age that's not acceptable. And so I'm pleased that when I was the Assistant Minister of Defence and later on as the Deputy Prime Minister, I'm glad, I'm so pleased, I'm proud I was able to secure that $1.4 billion for Defence infrastructure upgrades for this city. And a lot of that money is going out to the RAAF and a lot of that money is going to important upgrades for RAAF Wagga. And so that's important. Now you don't often see that because it's behind high walls and behind very secure premises. But many Wagga Wagga businesses also benefit from it. Catering, all sorts of things, I visited the hairdresser the other day, most of his work is through the haircuts of the RAAF apprentices, so that's great and we don't want to take that away.

So that's why leasing the airport is important. That's why the continued infrastructure upgrades, rolling them out, getting them done, getting them constructed, getting them completed is so important for RAF Wagga.

MARLA SOMMERS:

What support are you giving Council to help secure a long-term lease and lower costs?

MICHAEL McCORMACK:

I am more than happy to talk to the Government, I'm more than happy as I've always done in the past, to talk to Defence about the lease. Now the cost of course, that's another thing that is up to an arrangement between the Defence and Council, and obviously Council would like that lease to be as low as possible, but they do get the access to the airport and the airport is important. At the last election, I secured $24 million for a new terminal. I'd like to see that eventually honoured by this Government. And I know when we get back into Government, hopefully, that will be the next election. That commitment will stand. We want to make sure that we have a terminal which is fit for purpose and fit for modern-day services.

At the moment, the terminal does need upgrading. I'm disappointed that this Federal Government hasn't seen to commit to honour that level of funding that the airport needs. But the lease is important the Council is to secure that lease. The arrangements as to cost how much at least that will be between council and Defence. And I'm sure that this is an important priority for the council, and I am pleased that it is. I am happy to do anything I can to make those arrangements possible.

ENDS 12:50pm.

Emma Sullivan