ANALYSIS:
AN election commitment for capped-price flights between Mildura and Melbourne has been delivered “in a round-about way”, according to the Member for Mildura.
Jade Benham posted on social media about Bonza selling $49 one-way flights and was asked if it counted as an election promise delivered.
“In a round-about way, yes,” Ms Benham replied.
“It’s been recognised as such a good policy the private sector have picked it up and run with it, so it actually costs taxpayers nothing! Win-win!”
But who actually promised cheap flights first, the Coalition or Bonza?
The policy Ms Benham claims influenced the private sector was announced on October 21 last year.
It was a Liberal and Nationals pledge for a $23 million discounted airfare trial between Mildura and Melbourne if elected.
Each eligible person would be entitled to two return trips for $100 over two years.
The trial was devised when only two operators, Rex Airlines and Qantas, were servicing Mildura Airport.
A reduction in their airfares would have come at a cost to the Victorian taxpayer, all the while lining the pockets of those two companies.
The Coalition failed to topple the Andrews Government and so the trial never eventuated.
Interestingly, more than a year earlier, new airline Bonza was unveiled, along with its intention to offer discount air travel across regional Australia.
In February last year, Bonza revealed Mildura would be included, flying to the Sunshine Coast twice a week and Melbourne three times a week.
Bonza chief executive Tim Jordan said flights would cost roughly $50 per hour flown.
The airline received its license to fly in January this year.
It’s bold for Ms Benham to claim that a political election platform can influence private enterprise decisions that were announced six months earlier, and likely discussed for months prior to that.
The trial never even hit the runway and insinuating it has had any impact on the cost of airfares is questionable.
Ms Benham also said in the same social media reply that “after chats with the airport and Bonza they’ll be possibly considering a third leg out of Mildura.”
These discussions are not new, as Bonza’s intention to deliver an additional route was announced last February by the Mildura Airport chief executive and was revealed on the Sunraysia Daily front page.
Unless the Coalition is capable of retroactively influencing private sector decisions through its election commitments, it would seem Ms Benham’s claim of it being “such a good policy the private sector have picked it up and run with it” doesn’t stack up.
Does it count as an election promise delivered? In a very direct way, no.
