INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:12): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Tourism regarding international flights into and out of Adelaide.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: I think this is a result of a late night last night.

The PRESIDENT: I think the Hon. Mr Hood better sit down. It has been answered. I think you've got your answer. Is leave granted?

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: I think, like most South Australians, Family First was pleased to hear the news about Emirates flying into Adelaide directly from Dubai four days a week and increasing to seven days a week, I understand, early next year. Also, there was good news with respect to Singapore Airlines increasing their flights. However, the glaring hole in all of this is Qantas, which simply does not fly in or out of Adelaide except to Singapore, I understand, three times a week, but that is their total commitment in terms of international flights in and out of Adelaide. This is, after all, Australia's national carrier, so-called.

Adelaide is the least serviced of any of the capital cities in Australia by Qantas. My question to the minister is simply: has she had conversations with Qantas about their servicing of Adelaide, or lack of servicing, I should say, of Adelaide Airport internationally, and, if so, what is the nature of those discussions to the extent that she can disclose them? If she has not done that, will she commit to doing so?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (15:14): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Indeed, having direct flights into Adelaide is a key to helping to improve our visitor rates to Adelaide. It is something that we work very hard on, and I have spoken about it in this place before on a number of occasions. In fact, if I recall, I think I answered that yesterday in response to a supplementary question to the Emirates' question when I was asked what I had done about discussions with Qantas to increase flights here. I think that if you go back and have a look at Hansard you will see that I gave quite a bit of detail in relation to that. What I did say was that a number of discussions had taken place and that we were not just looking at overseas, international direct flights but that we were looking at all carriers, including Qantas.