Australia’s aviation industry will be receiving a $78 million-dollar COVID-19 recovery boost as the Australian Government pushes to help get the industry to recover from the pandemic. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce has just unveiled the Aviation Recovery Framework that will help rebuild the industry’s workforce and upgrade regional airport infrastructure. 

Under the Framework, the Australian Government will be focusing on six strategic priorities:

• supporting aviation efficiency by targeting investment and enhancing regulatory settings to help businesses across the entire industry to thrive;
• building a sustainable pipeline of workforce skills for the future;
• adopting and integrating emerging aviation technologies, including drones;
• modernising airports regulation to ensure Australia has the aviation infrastructure it needs for the future;
• revitalising General Aviation to help it realise its potential in supporting business and the community, especially in our regions; and
• better connecting regional communities by providing targeted support for access to essential aviation services and investing in regional aviation infrastructure.

To support the Framework’s implementation, a new Strategic Aviation Advisory Forum will be established to advise the Australian Government on the progress and the state of the industry moving forward.

The Australian Government is also working to reduce red tape and costs for the aviation industry to help drive recovery and support a strong, competitive, safe and sustainable aviation industry in the future.

They are also working to ensure that industry operators are in a stronger position to respond to future challenges.

“As a critical enabler of economic activity, the government is focused on ensuring the industry returns to pre-pandemic levels as soon as it is safe to do so,” Minister Joyce said. 

“We are putting in place policies and regulation to foster a competitive, safe and secure aviation sector that all Australians can rely on, and not just for travel and leisure purposes.” 

The Aviation Recovery Framework is accompanied by $78 million in new funding. This funding is said to include $4 million to increase the number of women in the sector and $15 million to upgrade remote aerodromes. 

Meanwhile, another $29 million will be made available through the third round of a regional aviation infrastructure program. 

The Australian Government has committed over $5.3 billion in assistance to the aviation industry ever since the pandemic began, supporting jobs, driving economic growth and transporting people, goods and commodities.

The government assistance has provided stability for the aviation industry after planes were grounded and security for workers who were furloughed during the pandemic.

Qantas expects domestic capacity to be at 102 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter of 2022. 

This is expected to rise to 117 per cent in the final months of next year. 

With AAP

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.

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