Regional Air Services

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:08): Supplementary: in addition to that correspondence and the representations being made by Minister Bettison, are there other options available to you, minister, to ensure that this crucial service is not axed?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:08): I thank the honourable member for her supplementary question. We work as a team in government and so today, when it became evident what Rex Airlines' announcement was, I discussed this matter with a number of my ministerial colleagues and it was agreed that Minister Bettison would make those initial calls. I also raised this in a recent meeting with Minister Catherine King when I was in Canberra before, obviously, the announcement by Rex yesterday.