Coalition pledge $12m to upgrade Mildura runway

THE National Party has pledged $12 million toward upgrading the Mildura Airport runway if the Coalition win the upcoming Federal Election.

Member for Mallee, Anne Webster, said the facility was a vital piece of infrastructure and gateway to Sunraysia.

“The airport has provided us with a business plan which is handy to give justification for the expenditure and provide an impetus for us to respond,” she said.

“There’s a lot of talk about how much money is coming out through the election campaign and it needs to be justified, we’re very mindful about whatever expenditure we’re bringing out.

“The runway is an incredibly important piece of the airport and with this funding we’ll be able to carry more cargo, and more people.”

Party leader David Littleproud said the investment toward upgrading the airstrip will set it up for the future and open new opportunities.

“We want to give the confidence not just in terms of larger planes continuing to come here but to also make sure that we are future proofing Western Victoria,” he said.

“This $12 million is a small investment that will bring a big return to the people of Mildura, and present a gateway to other parts of the world.”

Mildura Airport chief executive officer Trevor Willcock said the funding would be a nudge in the right direction to strengthen the runway for bigger aircrafts to look at Mildura as a destination.

“Our route development plans require a strong capable runway, which means we can open up to bigger destinations and cities all along the east coast and beyond,” he said.

“When Bonza was flying 51 per cent flew out of Mildura and 49 per cent came in, which just shows that people in this region like to travel.

“We’d really like to connect with Adelaide and Sydney, with Brisbane and maybe Perth as future options as well available to us.

“The bigger the aircraft, the further they can travel and the more economical it is for the airlines, we’re looking for frequent landings on our runway and need that strength to do so.”

The Mildura Airport was approved for $1.9 million for repair of the main runway as part of round four of the Federal Government’s Regional Airports Program in February.

The full runway upgrade project is expected to cost $28 million, with additional funding to be secured from other sources.