TRANSCRIPT: REMARKS TO THE WOMEN IN AVIATION CONFERENCE, 16 November 2019

E&OE

Subjects: Women in aviation;

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Why thank you Amanda and thank you Lea for the kind introduction, and great to be here amongst friends, and certainly I know when you go to conferences such as this, you are getting inspired by people around you, by like-minded people who also want what you want, who need what you need. And these sorts of conferences, whether it’s in here listening to people who are already empowered, people who just want to be empowered, or whether it’s out at the coffee urn or water cooler, you gain so much insight. And I always say, when you have these conferences and you can just take one, one thing away that could possibly change your career, could potentially change your outlook, then that makes it more the worthwhile.

Now, it’s good to be here at Essendon. Of course, this place is steeped in aviation history, and this conference indeed is playing a little part in the history of Essendon, but it’s certainly in the history of the sector and it is such an important sector. And I know how important it is because I come from regional Australia and we rely on so much on a strong aviation history, whether it’s GA, whether it’s in fact our commercial airlines flying in and out of Wagga indeed, whether it’s the air ambulance either taking people to or bringing them from the health services in capital cities. We rely so much in rural and regional Australia on a strong air service.

And I was very pleased this morning to pick up my local newspaper, the Daily Advertiser, to see a young aviatrix on the front page. Young Audrey Kendell, who’s hopefully going to follow somewhat somehow in the footsteps of her grandfather Don Kendell. Now she’s going to take part in the Rex Airline Pilot Academy, the latest intake. The latest of any intakes. Every time I go to one of those graduations, I’m always impressed by the- not just the quality but also the quantity of females who are graduating. And of course, they’re taking part in the Rex airline story of success. My wife spent a little bit of time at Rex but mainly [indistinct] Kendell Airlines and Catherine used to work there for many years just after we were married. And yesterday we celebrated 33 years of marriage, so you should be congratulating me and commiserating with Catherine.

[Laughter]

Fact is, aviation’s always played a strong part in our household, in our family, but Don Kendell really was a trailblazer when it came to rural aviation and I’m so pleased that his granddaughter is taking part now and intending to graduate with the Australian Airline Pilot Academy. So that’s great.

And I know of course that the Royal Australian Air Force has structures and such a strong presence in Wagga Wagga too, and whenever I go out to the RAAF I’m always impressed by the quality of the people there who fly our skies, who make sure that they’re training the best of the best in the defence side of our aviation industry. And I congratulate Lea for this conference. I know it takes a good person at the helm of any organisation to make these sorts of conventions work and I know in her you have somebody who wants to ensure that this isn’t just a success story for the here and now, but indeed in the future. And I’m sure with her determination and drive, it will be just that.

We, as a Government, have invested considerably in women in aviation and we want there to be a pathway to success for all women. Maybe not just pilots, but also in the engineering side and broader aviation support services. It’s not just about those women who are behind the controls in the cockpit. It’s also about who in each area of this- there are so many opportunities and so many job prospects, so many career prospects on that side of things, but there’s so much more. And I’m really pleased that so many of you have taken the time to attend this conference and the number of schoolchildren who attended yesterday was impressive, I’ve been told, attended, but the fact that you’re here on a Saturday afternoon and listening and very much attentive to what’s being said.

This organisation is an organisation which our Government wants to continue to back. We’re doing it with $4 million over four years in women in aviation, but there’s so much more that we can and we will and we must do. I was pleased that the Western Sydney Airport, the progress of which is quite stunning. In fact, it’s been named the Nancy-Bird Walton International Airport, named in honour of somebody who played such a part in not just women in aviation, but indeed in aviation. And I think that’s a critical difference, because she made such a difference. Made such a difference. And it must have been so difficult when she was blazing a trail for others, but to do what she did then in what was very much a sort of an industry where not too many women took part at all.

But broadly, the aviation sector, the Government does provide a range of services and support of course to the industry, in addition to the important work of course of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and Air Services Australia. And I know that we need more women in aviation. We need more women in so many of the sectors and that’s why we’re driving, encouraging and promoting women in agriculture, women in defence generally, and women in of course aviation. Now, the International Air Transport Association has forecast that current annual passenger numbers are going to double to reach [indistinct] 7 billion people by 2036. Now we’re talking a doubling in existing passenger traffic inside 20 years. I mean, that is just remarkable. I mean, [indistinct] Australia alone, we know what a challenge but also what an opportunity …