VALE MAX HAZELTON: A GIANT OF AUSTRALIAN AVIATION

Regional and remote Australia has lost one of its greatest advocates with the death of Max Hazelton.

Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack has paid tribute to Charles Maxwell “Max” Hazelton AM OBE, founder of former regional carrier Hazelton Airlines, upon his death at the age of 95.

Mr McCormack said Mr Hazelton, who was inducted into the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame in 2012, was a pioneer of the Australian aviation industry.

“Max was small in stature, but he certainly was an Australian aviation giant,” Mr McCormack said.

“I valued Max’s experience and views during my more than three years as Transport Minister in my time as Deputy Prime Minister.

“Rural and regional Australia owes a debt of gratitude to this wonderful man who established Hazelton Airlines in 1953, which led to connecting regional centres to capital cities via the skies at a time when no one else was willing to do so.

“His determination and tenacity shone through on many occasions, including fighting for the third runway at the Sydney Airport to better service regional areas and playing a pivotal role in founding current regional aviation carrier Regional Express, which rose from the ashes of Ansett Australia’s collapse in 2001.

“He certainly didn’t cave in when things got tough – he defied a Bob Hawke-led ACTU ban on live exports in 1971 by freighting merino lambs to Fiji to have them chartered to Argentina.

“A lesser person would have thrown in the towel after crashing their first commercial aircraft a year after launching an airline – not Max! After crashing near Oberon in his Auster Aiglet, which was used to provide charter services to stock and station agents from his brother-in-law’s Toogong property, Max, who was 27 at the time, showed true Aussie grit to trek more than 40 kilometres through rugged terrain over six days back to civilisation.

“From these rocky beginnings, Max built a business which was carrying more than 400,000 passengers per year by the year 2000.

“Max truly was a pioneer in every sense of the word – he forged his own path and, as a result, made regional aviation what it is today.

“An adventurer at heart but always a dedicated family man, my thoughts go out to Max’s wife, Laurel, and his family at this sad time.”