Fears stood-down airline crews could leave industry
Health clearance to set sail after Covid scare
THE federal government’s failure to provide adequate financial support for stooddown Tasmanian flight crews threatens to hamper the resumption of airline services into the state, Labor MPs say.
Shadow Assistant Minister Infrastructure and Regional Tourism Carol Brown, member for Franklin Julie Collins and member for Lyons Brian Mitchell have appealed to the federal government to do more.
Although the local tourism industry is heavily affected by lockdowns in NSW and Victoria, no federal financial support is available for stood-down airline staff and ground crews.
The Labor trio has written to Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Minister Barnaby Joyce asking for him to intervene on behalf of 28 local flight crew and 100 ground crew employed through labour hire companies who are currently stood down.
“Barnaby Joyce has decided, just because they are employed by a labour hire company and are not directly employed by an airline, workers do not deserve support, regardless that they wear the same uniform and perform the same duties,” the Labor members said in a joint statement.
“How are they meant to pay their mortgage, pay rent, put food on the table?
“Mr Joyce – the Deputy Prime Minister and federal Transport Minister, does not seem to care.
“If these workers leave the industry to find alternative jobs it could be a disaster for economic recovery,” they said.
Mr Joyce’s chief of staff wrote to the MPs saying their concerns had been noted.
“Please be assured the government is actively considering how best to continue to support the sector,” he wrote.
TT-LINE has resumed sailing after operators received clearance from health authorities after a Covid scare.
Departures from Devonport and Melbourne were on hold for a third day on Sunday after a contractor tested positive and 17 others were ruled to be close contacts – but late Sunday the company confirmed both vessels would sail.
“Spirit of Tasmania will sail from both ports tonight after receiving clearance from the health authorities,” it said.
“An additional day sailing has been scheduled for Monday 27 September to help passengers reach their destination.”
Hobart’s Mark Washton was among those caught up in the delay after travelling to Devonport for Saturday’s cancelled sailing.
He said he spent the day waiting to find out whether Sunday’s sailings were going ahead. “There is no communication with this exercise,” he said. “I got one update today.”
Meanwhile the state government was coy on when borders would reopen – despite a call from the Prime Minister.
“Once you get to 80 per cent of your population that is vaccinated, it’s very clear, I can’t see any reason why Australians should be kept from each other,” Scott Morrison told Seven’s Political Editor Mark Riley.
But state government minister Michael Ferguson said Tasmania would not be rushed. “The government of Tasmania has been very clear our priorities are about protecting and supporting our state,” Mr Ferguson said.
“We’re actually right now, very clear, that we are supporting the national plan.
“We’re also doing modelling which we intend to release in the middle of October hopefully from the Garvan Institute,
which will assist us and we will announce our reopening plan.
“Importantly, we are committed to getting our population over 16 up to 90 per cent by the first of December and we’re on track to do that.
“Importantly, we won’t be opening to high-risk areas until 100 per cent of our population have had the opportunity of a vaccine.”
Mr Ferguson did not explain how authorities would measure 100 per cent of eligible Tasmanians being offered a vaccine.
Labor’s Sarah Lovell said the government must follow advice from health experts.
“There’s no doubt that Tasmania’s health system would struggle significantly to deal with any kind of outbreak,” she said. “We need the government to be taking steps in order to ensure that our health system can cope with any outbreak that we do see when the borders open.”