‘We know who our friends are’: Rex needles Carnarvon Shire over airport charges

State and Federal dollars have kept Regional Express (Rex) airlines flying passenger services from Perth to Carnarvon and Monkey Mia, as well as Albany and Esperance. WA Transport minister Rita Saffioti said Rex would run two return flights between Perth, Carnarvon and Monkey Mia weekly, and four from Perth to Albany and Perth to Esperance. Rex deputy chairman John Sharp said he had been preparing to announce the total shutdown of its network. On March 28, Ms Saffioti announced $3 million to secure Rex services to those four regional destinations. Deputy prime minister Michael McCormack announced a $198 million regional air network assistance package the next day, to be shared between 12 smaller regional airlines weathering the COVID-19 crisis. Rex general manager Warwick Lodge had written to Carnarvon Shire on March 19 threatening to discontinue the route if it did not halve airport taxes for the rest of 2020. “Given that Rex is now fighting to survive long enough for the worldwide situation to return to normalcy, we would like to request that council shows its recognition of the contributions of Rex to your community,” he wrote. “This will be critical to the survival of Rex and with it the longevity of the air services to your community if Rex manages to survive this carnage.” The letter referred to Parkes in NSW, which had offered to waive all airport taxes and aircraft parking fees without being asked. “In times like these we know who our true friends are and Parkes’ actions will never be forgotten by Rex,” Mr Lodge wrote. Carnarvon Shire Council failed to reach a position when it met on March 24. At last week’s council meeting, Councillor Alexandar Fullarton moved to accept the Rex request, but his motion lapsed for want of a seconder. Instead, Councillors Julee Nelson and Burke Maslen moved to decline the request. Their motion also required the terms of the agreement to remain until June 19 as required by the Rex agreement with the Shire. Councillors Fullerton and Luka Vandaleur voted against this motion which lost for want of an absolute majority.